EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Positive Activities for Young People

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the replacement of Splash programmes with the Positive Activities for Young People scheme.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	Splash and Splash Extra were an important part of last summer's programme of school holiday diversionary activities for young people living in high crime areas, which saw over 90,000 young people taking part in a wide range of activities. We intend to build on this success this year, by absorbing the Splash schemes, along with the Connexions Summer Plus programme, into a new single programme of positive activities for young people to provide year round out of school activities for eight to 19-year-olds.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's assessment of the total poppy crop in Afghanistan is for (a) 1991, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Since 1994, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has conducted an annual survey into the level of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. This concluded that the extent of cultivation in the last three years was:
	
		
			  Hectares 
		
		
			 2000 82,000 
			 2001 8,000 
			 2002 74,000 
		
	
	The largest cultivation level, of 91,000 hectares, was recorded by the UNODC in 1999. There are no generally accepted figures for cultivation in 1991.

Afghanistan

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's strategy is on opium sourced in Afghanistan that gets transported to the UK.

Mike O'Brien: The UK is working with the Afghan Government to achieve their stated goal of eliminating opium production by 2013. We are co-ordinating international anti-narcotics assistance to Afghanistan. With the endorsement of the Afghan Government, and in consultation with other international stakeholders (especially the UN), the UK has developed a long-term strategy. This identifies four key areas where assistance should be targeted: improving Afghan law enforcement capability; rural reconstruction to generate alternative livelihoods for opium poppy farmers; capacity-building for Afghan drug control institutions; and establishing prevention/treatment programmes to tackle addiction.
	We are also working with governments along the main trafficking routes to disrupt the drug trade.

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money the Government spent on their programme to eradicate poppy production in Afghanistan in 2002; and how much the Government intend to spend on this programme in 2003.

Mike O'Brien: At the Tokyo Reconstruction Conference for Afghanistan in January 2002 the UK pledged £200 million over five years for development. The conference acknowledged that measures designed to contribute to the elimination of opium poppy cultivation should be included in all reconstruction programmes.
	In 2002–03 the UK spent £70 million on development in Afghanistan. This included £2 million on livelihoods programmes which promote the creation of alternative forms of licit livelihood for Afghan poppy farmers. The UK has also provided approximately £24 million of assistance for the development of Afghan drug control capacity.

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the success of the Government in meeting its PSA target to contribute to the reduction of opium cultivation in Afghanistan by 70 per cent. in five years with complete elimination in 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The elimination of cultivation of opium poppy in Afghanistan in 10 years is an ambitious target which has been embraced by the Afghan Government and included in their own national drug strategy, endorsed by President Karzai on 19 May.
	A UK plan for assisting the Afghan authorities with implementation of their strategy is being finalised. It outlines a broad approach that balances the building up of Afghan drug law enforcement with the promotion of alternative livelihoods for poppy farmers. Achievement of sustainable reductions in cultivation levels will also depend on whether a secure environment can be maintained in Afghanistan which enables central Government to assert its authority over the provinces and which allows the development community to implement reconstruction programmes. We have always been clear that we expect poppy production to rise before it falls in later years. This is inevitable given the poverty, the need for alternative livelihoods and the need to build a strong central Government in Afghanistan which can implement an effective eradication strategy.

Afghanistan

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the development of a justice system in Afghanistan that meets international standards; and what his assessment is of the adequacy of resources available to develop such a system.

Mike O'Brien: Progress in this sector is gathering speed after the appointment of a Judicial Commission in October 2002. The Judicial Commission has established a programme of work together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to which the UK has contributed £0.5 million, with a further £0.5 million pledged for later this year. Work on the programme is ongoing: a scoping study of existing infrastructure has already been completed across much of the country, and the Commission is actively reviewing the civil and penal codes.
	Italy is the lead nation for co-ordinating international assistance to the Afghan justice sector with the Transitional Administration. It has estimated that the development and running of the Justice Sector will require approximately £18 million per year (figure drawn from the Afghan National Development Budget 2003). Part of that sum can be met from the Afghan National Budget. Italy, the US and other donors are contributing significant sums to the Law and Order Trust Fund and to the Judicial Commission programme for reform of the Justice Sector enabling the reform programme to proceed.
	In addition the UK is funding work by the NGO Penal Reform International on penal reform in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) men and (b) women in Afghanistan have received police training.

Mike O'Brien: Germany is the lead nation for co-ordinating international assistance on police reform with the Afghan Transitional Administration. The Germans, assisted by other nations, have trained 1,300 men and 40 women at Kabul Police Academy. The UK ran a two week training course in Kabul in January attended by five male senior Afghan police officers, two of whom subsequently attended a course at the International Police College in the UK. These are the only figures that we can break down by gender. However, a further 25 Afghan police officers have been trained in Germany, as well as 340 officers in India, 60 in Turkey and 30 in Iran.

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the likely production level of cultivation of opium poppies in Afghanistan in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; and what percentage that represents of levels in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001.

Mike O'Brien: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts an annual survey into the level of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. They are in the process of completing the 2003 survey. The final results will be available in the autumn. The 2004 survey will get underway towards the end of this year.
	It is difficult to predict the size of future Afghan opium crops. However the UNODC did publish its Rapid Assessment report in February. It made no predictions about the likely size of the 2003 harvest but concluded there had been significant displacement of cultivation to new areas within Afghanistan.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how independent international validation will be provided of a discovery of weapons of mass destruction.

Mike O'Brien: Both the UK and US Governments understands the desirability of independent Validation of any discoveries made by coalition forces in Iraq.
	We are in discussion with allies and in the United Nations about how best to ensure such verification.

Iraq

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what opportunity British authorities have had to question Mr. Tariq Aziz; and whether he plans to proffer charges against Mr. Aziz.

Mike O'Brien: Tariq Aziz voluntarily surrendered to the coalition forces in Baghdad and is currently in custody. The coalition partners have had the opportunity to interview Mr. Aziz on a number of topics and this will continue. It is too early to determine the nature of any criminal charges he might face.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department will send forensic officers to assist in the excavation of the graves of those murdered by Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: The Government have sent a team of nine forensic experts to Iraq in order to assist with the examination of mass graves in Iraq.

Iraq

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British Government and the Iraqi Government discussed (a) UN sanctions and (b) weapons inspections in Iraq in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001.

Bill Rammell: The British Government had no direct contact with the Iraqi Government over either UN sanctions or weapons inspections in either 2000 or 2001.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 May, Official Report, column 855W, on the war in Iraq, what steps he has taken to obtain the original documents.

Mike O'Brien: We have made it clear that we would welcome any opportunity to subject such documents to expert analysis. Those in the possession of documents or property which do not belong to them, should pass them to the appropriate authorities.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will decide and upon what basis the body which will validate and exercise destruction of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Mike O'Brien: Discussions are continuing with allies and in the United Nations about how best to ensure independent validation of discoveries made by coalition forces.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking under international law as an occupying power to (a) ensure public order and safety in Iraq, (b) meet the basic needs of the Iraqi population, (c) protect displaced persons and refugees, (d) respect the rights of detainees and (e) ensure justice in Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: The UK takes its legal responsibilities as an Occupying Power under the Geneva and Hague Conventions very seriously. The Coalition condemns looting and has stressed its commitment to preventing it. Looting and lawlessness appear to be declining in most areas. In the UK area of operations suspected looters are arrested and detained.
	UK Police experts on law enforcement and the criminal justice system are advising on the stabilisation of the security situation and rebuilding the police service.
	The UK has committed £240 million for humanitarian assistance. The Coalition is working hard to address priority humanitarian needs including water, power and food, working closely with the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA), NGOs, and UN agencies.
	There were very few refugees arising from the conflict and these were well supported by the UN's preparedness measures to which the UK contributed. UNHCR are now undertaking planning to arrange an orderly and supported repatriation of refugees, the vast majority of whom pre-date the recent conflict, back to Iraq. Virtually all Iraqis internally displaced during the conflict have returned to their place of origin.
	Iraqis detained by British forces have been treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US on the time scale for the identification of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: We are working closely with the US Administration on all issues affecting Iraq including the effort to identify Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The search will continue until we, and the international community, are confident that the former Iraqi regime's WMD programmes have been eliminated.

Iraq

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the members of the new local Iraqi Administration in Umm Qasr, indicating in each case their (a) religion, (b) political and major pressure group links and (c) means of living.

Mike O'Brien: We understand that the process of deciding the composition of Umm Qasr's local Administration (town council) is on-going. We will endeavour to relay background details when we have them.

Agency Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds.

Jack Straw: We do not have a central record of the numbers of staff employed under contract from agencies; to obtain these figures would incur disproportionate costs. We do, however, have the costs, which are:
	
		
			 Financial year Agency costs (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 1,933,841 
			 2002–03 1,850,779

Airport Security

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring of security at airports abroad is undertaken by UK embassies and consulates.

Mike O'Brien: The monitoring of airport security abroad is a key task for Post Aviation Security Officers (PASOs) in the majority of our network of embassies, High Commissions and Consulate-Generals. PASOs assess security afforded to UK airlines and, where there are no UK carriers, report on the airport security regime generally.
	Since 11 September 2001, the PASOs work has intensified and been supplemented by ad hoc visits and assessments by experts from Transport Security Directorate at the Department for Transport (DfT). PASOs are not aviation security experts and they all have other duties to undertake outside the aviation security field. Where a PASO identifies shortcomings in security he/she will be given guidance from DfT on how the issue should be addressed, with further support from the centre as necessary.
	Regional Aviation Security Liaison Officers (RASLOs) have recently been appointed to Nairobi (to cover East Africa) and Dubai (to cover the Gulf) to provide host states with practical aviation security advice and expertise. Further deployments to other regions are likely. The RASLOs are aviation security experts and will, to a large extent, assume many of the duties currently performed by the PASOs in those regions. Monitoring security standards and liaising with the appropriate authorities are core tasks.
	In addition to our RASLOs and PASOs, we continue to highlight the importance of international aviation security standards in multilateral fora—G8, EU, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC)—and with partners on a bilateral basis. We are intensifying our programme of DfT inspections, increasing the number of regional aviation security courses we deliver overseas and inviting more delegations of experts and practitioners to the UK for consultations and security visits to our airports.

Australia/New Zealand

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of (a) Australia and (b) New Zealand; and what plans he has to visit these countries.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has met the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, twice this year in February and in early May. He also met the New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark in early May.
	Discussions with both Prime Ministers covered a range of foreign policy issues, including the Middle East Peace Process, Iraq, Zimbabwe, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and a number of trade and EU related topics.
	The Foreign Secretary has no present plans to visit either Australia or New Zealand. I will visit both countries in August.

Cameroon

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Cameroon on (a) the death of Dr. Martin Luma and (b) the arrests of the Rev. Francis Nchamn, Bissong Stanley, Issaacs Ibe and Esoka Aaron; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 22 May 2003
	We follow developments in Cameroon closely. My noble Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Amos, discussed human rights with President Biya during her visits in February and March 2003. We are aware of Dr. Luma's death and of reports of the arrests of his supporters. We are looking into the circumstances urgently. I will write to my hon. Friend when we have more information.

Corruption

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issues to staff based overseas on reporting allegations of corruption by British companies; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Crown Servants and locally engaged employees in British Diplomatic posts overseas who, in the course of their duties, become aware of, or receive information relating to, acts of bribery or corruption committed by UK nationals or legal persons are obliged to report the matter, so that the appropriate UK authorities can decide whether to pursue an investigation or prosecution.
	Staff at home and overseas have been advised of the changes to UK law introduced from 14 February 2002 by the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, and of their reporting responsibility. This is further emphasised through training of staff engaged in trade and investment work.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will support the deployment of a United Nations military force in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Bill Rammell: We are very concerned about the situation in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and are monitoring developments closely. We can confirm that the UN has asked the UK and others to participate in an emergency multinational peacekeeping force to stabilise the security situation. We are considering this request urgently.

Egypt

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Egyptian Government on the recent attack by a unit from the Egyptian army on the Patmos Centre, a Christian children's home.

Mike O'Brien: British embassy officials in Cairo have investigated this incident.
	On 5 April, a unit from the army camp began to bulldoze the centre's perimeter fence and about 50 metres of land. Although we do not know what provoked this particular incident, it appears to be part of a legal dispute. No people were injured and no buildings were damaged during the incident. The army unit ceased their action following local protests and the intervention of security services who have tried to resolve the dispute. The Patmos Centre is currently in a legal dispute about its location. It has been built about 500 metres from the perimeter of an army camp. Under Egyptian law, the construction of buildings within such proximity of a military institution is not allowed. We hope that the authorities can reach a swift settlement to the dispute.

Egypt

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Egyptian Government on the treatment by police of converts from Islam to Christianity.

Mike O'Brien: No. We have not seen evidence of systematic targeting or maltreatment by police of converts from Islam to Christianity. However, we are concerned at the lack of an administrative means of changing ID cards to Christianity where a person has converted. Where there is evidence of violations of human rights we do make our views known to the Egyptian authorities.

Egypt

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Egyptian Government concerning the (a) imprisonment of Malak and Naglaa Gawargios Fahmy and (b) reports of attempts to force Naglaa Gawargios to renounce her faith.

Mike O'Brien: Mr. and Mrs. Fahmy were arrested on 23 December 2002 and charged with religious contempt and falsification of official documents. We have received no evidence that either was pressured to renounce their faith. The British embassy in Cairo will continue to monitor the case.

Hong Kong

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what negotiations have taken place with Chinese representatives regarding the preservation of Hong Kong's special status; and if he will make a statement on the role the UK has in Hong Kong.

Bill Rammell: Negotiations took place between the UK and China about Hong Kong's special status prior to the return of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty on 1 July 1997.
	Since then, there have been regular exchanges at ministerial and official levels. During those, the situation in post-handover Hong Kong has frequently been discussed. Both sides agree on the importance of maintaining the principles of the1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong which provides Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy under the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary reports regularly to Parliament on the implementation of the Joint Declaration. Our assessment continues to be that, generally, 'One Country, Two Systems' is working well in practice.
	We have a strong, forward-looking bilateral relationship with Hong Kong, a key partner for the UK in the Asia-Pacific region. Given Britain's role as a joint signatory of the Joint Declaration, we maintain a close interest in developments in Hong Kong.

Indonesia

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Indonesian Government regarding human trafficking for the purposes of sexual and labour exploitation.

Mike O'Brien: We have not felt it necessary to make representations to the Indonesian Government on this issue, as they are already taking steps to combat human trafficking.
	On 30 December 2002 President Megawati signed a Presidential Decree on a National Plan of Action for the Elimination of Trafficking in Women and Children. In addition, on 28–30 April, the Indonesian Government co-hosted The Second Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crimes. Significant progress has been made in regional co-operation to combat people smuggling and other forms of illegal migration since the first regional Ministerial Conference in Bali in February 2002, especially in increasing public awareness of people smuggling and trafficking, discouraging those considering illegal movement, asylum management, and information sharing on the dignified and humane return of unlawful migrants.

Indonesia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Aceh; and what discussions he has had with the UN and national governments on bringing a peaceful solution to conflict there.

Mike O'Brien: We deeply regret the breakdown of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) following the failure by the Indonesian Government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to reach an agreement at a joint meeting in Tokyo on 17 to 18 May 2003. We are disappointed that the Indonesian Government have declared martial law in Aceh, which has resulted in military action against the GAM.
	In a joint statement with the Australian Foreign Minister on 20 May 2003, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary called on the Indonesian armed forces to ensure full respect for human rights, and to show maximum restraint while they carry out their operations in Aceh.
	The British Government together with EU partners, the US, Japan and the World bank have all urged both the Indonesian Government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to resume peaceful negotiations. We believe that dialogue is the best way to achieve a long-term peaceful political solution to the problems in Aceh. We and the international community as a whole support Indonesia's territorial integrity.

Russia

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports the Government has received on the demolition of shelters for internally displaced persons in Ingushetia; and what representations he has made to President Putin on this matter.

Denis MacShane: We have received reports from the French NGO, Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF), that the Ingush government ordered them to dismantle some 180 single-room shelters for Internally Displaced Persons, and that construction of a further 3000 shelters has been put on hold. We have not yet raised this issue with the Russian government, pending the outcome of an Ingush government commission appointed to review the decision.

Israel

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making to the Israeli Government regarding (a) the death of James Miller and (b) the shooting of Tom Hurndall in Gaza; and if he will encourage the Israeli authorities to carry out a full criminal investigation.

Mike O'Brien: Since the shooting of Tom Hurndall and death of James Miller we have continually pressed the Israeli Government for full and transparent inquiries into the shootings. I repeated these demands when I met the Israeli Ambassador to London, Zvi Shtuaber on 8 May. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also raised our concerns on 15 May when he met Israeli Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom.
	Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv has already pressed the Israelis for a Military Investigation into both shootings.
	Our staff in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem remain in contact with both families, and are working on their behalf. We will continue to do all that we can to resolve both these cases.

Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the matters discussed during his talks with the Israeli Foreign Minister on 16 May; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of those talks.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed bilateral relations, Middle East Peace Process and other regional issues of common concern with Mr Shalom. This was the first opportunity we have had to raise British interests and concerns with the new Israeli Foreign Minister in person.

Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has made to the Israeli Government about the restrictions placed by the Israeli Government on the freedom of foreign nationals to enter the Gaza Strip, and what response he has received to those representations;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of reports that the Israeli Government has imposed a requirement on foreign nationals wishing to enter the Gaza Strip should sign a waiver absolving the Israeli military of responsibility if the foreign national command is killed or injured by Israeli military action; and what representations he has made to the Government of Israel on the issue.

Mike O'Brien: We are concerned by Israel's decision to oblige foreign nationals to sign a waiver before allowing them to enter the Gaza Strip; and by the further decision to forbid most foreign nationals from entering the Gaza Strip at all. Our embassy in Tel Aviv has taken these issues up with the Israeli authorities as a matter of urgency. We look to the Government of Israel to ease these restrictions without delay.

Israel

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make copies of the Quartet's middle east road map available on his Department's website; and if he will place a formal copy of the road map in the Library.

Mike O'Brien: Formal copies of the roadmap are publicly available on the department's website www.fco.gov.uk/mepp and have been placed in the Library of the House.

Israel

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he is having with (a) the Israeli Government, (b) the Palestinian authorities, (c) the United Nations and (d) his American counterparts regarding progress on the implementation of Phase 1 of the roadmap for peace.

Mike O'Brien: Ministers and Officials are in regular contact with the Israeli Government, the Palestinian Authority, the UN and the US. Most recently my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary met Israeli Foreign Minister Shalom during his visit to London on 15 May 2003; and the Prime Minister spoke to President Bush on 16 May and Abu Mazen on 18 May 2003.

Judicial Executions

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has collated on the number of executions per 100,000 population in the five countries with the highest rates of judicial executions in each of the last three years.

Bill Rammell: Verifiable information on the numbers of executions which take place around the world is not available as not all countries publish such figures. We use statistics collected by Amnesty International which we regard as one definitive source of information on death penalty cases. Amnesty International do not publish a league table of figures covering every country in the world though their research and ours suggests that capital punishment continues to be implemented in about 30 countries. We also believe that the true number of executions world-wide is significantly higher than the number of recorded cases.
	According to available statistics in 2000, 88 per cent. of all known executions took place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the USA. In 2001 and 2002, 90 per cent. and 84 per cent. respectively of all known executions took place in the same four countries. We believe that Singapore has the highest per capita number of recorded executions in the world, with 13 executions per million. China has the highest overall recorded number of executions, with at least 1,060 executions in 2002.

Pakistan

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation with respect to visa applications in Karachi.

Bill Rammell: The Visa Sections in Karachi and Lahore have been closed since May 2002 for security reasons. Our High Commission in Islamabad is offering a limited visa service for the whole of Pakistan. Applications must be made through a courier service which has offices throughout Pakistan, including in Karachi. Applications which cannot be decided on papers alone and require an interview with the applicant cannot currently be resolved and are returned to the applicant.
	The situation is kept under constant review and we aim to resume a normal service throughout Pakistan as soon as possible.
	The UK visas website (www.ukvisas.gov.uk) contains regularly updated information on Visa Sections worldwide which are offering a restricted service or are temporarily closed.

Military Aid

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what military aid has been provided by the UK to the 20 poorest nations, measured by GDP, in each year since 1997; and what the value of the aid was in each case.

Mike O'Brien: HMG carries out a wide range of defence activity with bilateral and multilateral partners, much of which could be described as 'military aid' or 'military assistance'. Such activity is carried out both by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, and funded from a number of sources, including the joint FCO/MOD/DfID Conflict Prevention Fund.
	Detailed records are not maintained centrally. As such the detail of the information sought, including on the value of such assistance, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

North Korea

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UK's diplomatic relationship with North Korea.

Bill Rammell: The UK established diplomatic relations with the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (DPRK) in December 2000 and opened an Embassy in Pyongyang in July 2001. The first UK Ambassador to North Korea, David Slinn, arrived in Pyongyang on 23 November 2002. North Korea has recently opened a mission in London.
	We believe it is important to remain engaged with North Korea, and we use every opportunity that our channels of communication afford to put our concerns across and urge the DPRK to comply with its international obligations. However, we have made it clear to the Government of North Korea that there can be no normal relations between our two countries until the nuclear issue is resolved, and that our bilateral relationship therefore remains under review.

North Korea

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to establish effective bilateral relations with the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea.

Bill Rammell: The UK established diplomatic relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in December 2000, and the British Embassy in Pyongyang opened on 30 July 2001. This established a channel of communication which has allowed us to address the North Korean authorities directly on issues of international concern, such as non-proliferation and human rights.
	We have also conducted a number of educational projects, aimed at increasing the North Korean people's knowledge of and interaction with the outside world. These include English language training and human rights courses. We have made it clear to the North Korean government that there can be no normal relationship between our two countries until the issue of North Korea's nuclear programmes has been resolved.

Nuclear Weapons

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the development of a new generation of tactical nuclear weapons; and under what sections of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty this work is proceeding.

Mike O'Brien: The Government has no plans to develop new nuclear weapons. In line with the policy set out in the Strategic Defence Review, it is the Government's policy to maintain a minimum capability to design and produce a successor to Trident should this prove necessary.

Drugs

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of which countries are the main source of (a) opium and (b) cocaine; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts annual surveys into the level of drug production in the main source countries. These confirm that the main source of opium continues to be Afghanistan, producing around 76 per cent. of the world's supply and around 90 per cent. of the heroin which reaches the UK. The main source of cocaine is Colombia, which produces around 72 per cent. of the world's supply.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

Jack Straw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State (Mr. O'Brien) on 29 April 2003, Official Report, column 330W.

Slovakia

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the treatment of minorities in Slovakia; and what discussions he has had on the matter with his Slovak counterpart.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met his Slovak counterpart in February 2003 and discussed the situation of minorities in Slovakia. I have discussed the issue with political leaders in Slovakia both in London and Bratislava. Our Embassy in Bratislava also follows the situation of minorities and discusses that situation with the Slovak authorities. The UK's EU Action Plan in Slovakia, which was formally launched by the Foreign Secretary in 2002, includes projects in the Roma communities.
	The European Commission regularly publishes reports on Slovakia's progress towards EU accession, and runs programmes with the Roma communities as part of Slovakia's EU pre-accession programme.
	Slovakia has been found to meet the Copenhagen criteria, which require a state to uphold the basic human rights of all its citizens.

Turkey

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Turkish authorities to ensure that they are complying with the criteria laid down in Copenhagen for EU accession; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary periodically discusses a range of issues, including Turkey's progress in meeting the Copenhagen political criteria, with senior members of the Turkish Government. Such discussions also take place regularly at ministerial and senior official levels. The last time the Foreign Secretary met members of the Turkish Government was during the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers in Rhodes on 2 to 3 May 2003, which he and Turkish Foreign Minister Gul attended. The UK continues to support strongly Turkey's EU candidacy through projects funded by our UK-Turkey Action Plan and the FCO's Global Opportunities Fund. Turkey continues to make real progress in meeting the political criteria required to start accession negotiations.

Western Sahara

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet representatives of the Polisario Front to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their demand for self-determination in Western Sahara.

Mike O'Brien: None. I met Lehbib Breica, the Frente Polisario representative to the UK and Ireland in December 2002.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Environmental Standards

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many businesses in Shrewsbury and Atcham are registered with the environment standard ISO 14000.

Michael Meacher: The Government do not themselves maintain statistics of organisations which have attained the industry standard on environmental management systems, ISO 14001. However, my Department has supported the work of a professional body, the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), to establish a database of such organisations, which is now accessible on-line at www.emas.org.uk. The database lists six holders of the ISO 14001 standard in Shrewsbury and Atcham.

Cement Kilns

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cement kilns are operating in the United Kingdom; and what their capacities are.

Alun Michael: There are 27 cement kilns at 17 sites in the United Kingdom with a total production capacity of 40,520 tonnes of cement per day. The following table contains the production capacities for each cement kiln.
	
		
			 Company/Plantlocation Kiln technology Production capacity (tonnes/day) 
		
		
			 Lafarge   
			 Aberthaw dry 1,700 
			 Barnstone wet 300 
			 Cauldon dry (pre-calciner) 2,800 
			 Cookstown semi-dry 1,150 
			 Dunbar dry (pre-calciner) 3,300 
			 Hope dry 1,900 
			  dry 1,900 
			 Northfleet semi-wet 1,800 
			  semi-wet 1,800 
			 Thurrock wet (not continuous) 110 
			 Westbury wet 950 
			  wet 950 
			
			 Rugby   
			 South Ferriby semi-dry 1,100 
			  semi-dry 1,100 
			 Barrington semi-dry 770 
			 Rugby semi-wet (calciner) 4,000 
			
			 Castle   
			 Ketton dry (long kiln) 1,060 
			  dry (pre-calciner) 3,100 
			 Ribblesdale wet 1,000 
			  wet 1,000 
			  dry (pre-calciner) 2,500 
			
			 Padeswood dry (long kiln) 840 
			  wet 420 
			  wet 420 
			
			 Buxton Lime   
			 Tunstead(1) wet 750 
			  dry (pre-calciner) 2,300 
			
			 Sean Quinn   
			 Fermanagh(2) dry 1,500 
		
	
	(1) New cement kiln—commissioning scheduled to start mid 2003 and will replace existing wet kiln.
	(2) Plant shutdown but not decommissioned.

Coffee

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recommendations for action she will make at the International Coffee Organisation/World Bank Coffee Conference on 19 May.

Elliot Morley: The European Commission will speak on behalf of EU member states at the International Coffee Organisation/World Bank Conference. The Conference aims to bring together producers from developing countries, Government officials, experts from international organisations, advocacy groups and industry representatives to discuss alternatives such as diversification, quality, added value and market development in order to help coffee producers increase their income and improve living standards. It is hoped that the Conference will help to develop ideas for specific programmes and activities which could make a real contribution to solving the coffee crisis.

Efficiency Savings

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the target is for efficiency savings in 2003–04 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

Alun Michael: As part of the 2002 settlement from the Treasury, Defra is expected to find £16 million in efficiency savings for 2003–04. This figure represents 0.6 per cent. of the Department's expenditure limit (of which the administration component represents approximately 3 per cent. of the administration budget).

Farm Advisory System

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the cost to the United Kingdom of introducing and operating the Farm Advisory System proposed by the European Commission; what the Government's policy is on the appropriate division of the costs of the scheme between Government and industry; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Government estimate that a farm advisory system as proposed by the Commission would cost government at least £42 million p.a., and farmers a further unquantified amount. The Government do not consider this likely to be good value for money and are pressing for a less bureaucratic approach.

Fishing Quotas

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking in the operation of The Hague Preference to ensure that any fishing quota cuts are favourable to those countries which border the North Sea.

Elliot Morley: The effect of The Hague Preference, when it is operated in relation to North Sea fish stocks, is to reduce other member states' amounts of fishing quota for the year in question and to increase that of the UK. Only the UK and Ireland benefit from The Hague Preference.

Fuel Crops

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the CAP mid-term review on the growing of crops for alternative fuel production.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 22 May 2003
	CAP reform proposals introduced the concept of a decoupled single income payment with energy crops eligible for an additional 'carbon credit' aid of 45 per hectare, capped at 1.5 million hectares across the EU. Compulsory set-aside would have been retained, but the existing derogation to allow non-food, including energy, crops to be grown on it would be removed. We consider that the combination of decoupling together with a further cereals price cut removes the need for land to be taken out of production.
	The European Commission have now indicated that they may be prepared to make some changes to their original proposal including allowing continued access for non-food crops to set-aside land. Our view is that if set-aside is to continue, it must be applied in a flexible way which maximises its potential benefits.
	Detailed negotiations are continuing in Brussels, due to be concluded in June.

GM Crops

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the procedures to be put in place for the forthcoming consultation on genetically modified organisms.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The Government-sponsored public debate on wider GM issues, which is being managed by an independent Steering Board at arm's length from Government, will be launched on 3 June. The public will have the opportunity to debate the issues surrounding GMOs, either by attending a meeting or by accessing the website.
	Regional public meetings will be held in Birmingham (3 June), Swansea (5 June), Taunton (7 June), Belfast (9 June), Glasgow (11 June) and Harrogate (13 June). Further regional or local events are being held across the country, run by local authorities and organisations, with debate toolkit materials being provided to facilitate debate. Further information on all the local and regional events can be found on the public debate website at www.gmnation.org.uk, due to go live on 27 May.
	The Steering Board will submit their report on the outcome of the debate to Government in September. We have made a commitment to make a written response to their report, and to indicate what we have learned from the debate when making future policy announcements on GM.

GM Crops

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the criteria to which the UK will have to adhere under the EU directive for commercial applications for licences for the planting of genetically modified organisms.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The relevant EU Directive (Directive 2001/18/EC) sets out the criteria and time scale all member states must adhere to in assessing applications for licences for cultivation of GMOs. The criteria relate to the potential risk to human health and the environment. Each applicant is required to provide the information set out in Annexes III and IV of the Directive; an environmental risk assessment, the principles of which are outlined in Annex II, and a post market monitoring plan as required in Annex VII. Assessments are made by the member states based on all the information provided.

GM Crops

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the payment of compensation to organic farms, recognised by the Soil Association, which are contaminated by neighbouring GM farms.

Michael Meacher: The current position is that an organic farmer who has suffered economic loss as a result of activities on a neighbouring farm can make a claim for redress through the courts. The independent Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission is preparing a report to Government on the co-existence of GM, conventional and organic crops, and related issues of liability. We will develop our policy in the light of that report.

Illegal Food Imports

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions for illegal food imports into the UK there have been in the last five years.

Elliot Morley: Figures for prosecutions prior to the transfer on 11 April 2003 of all anti-smuggling controls to Customs, are not held centrally. We are aware of one successful prosecution brought by Crawley Borough Council in July 2002. In September 2001, Customs brought a prosecution for the illegal importation of bushmeat derived from endangered species. The offender was found not guilty of these offences, but was, however, found guilty of an offence under the Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (England) Regulations. The Corporation of London Port Health Authority issued six cautions in October 2002.
	HM Customs and Excise, who took responsibility for anti-smuggling controls on meat from 11 April 2003, will prosecute in the most serious cases.

KPMG

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts her Department has awarded to KPMG since 1997.

Alun Michael: Defra came into being on 8 June 2001. The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Landfill Directive

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the effects upon the cost of (a) collection and (b) management of municipal waste stream in the UK of complying with the requirement of Article 5 of the Landfill Directive to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste to 75 per cent. of 1995 levels by 2010.

Michael Meacher: The costs involved with meeting the Article 5 Landfill Directive targets and other waste strategy goals were addressed in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published with Waste Strategy 2000.
	A base case was established and various policy mixes were costed against that base case. The additional costs of the policy mixes that reflect the levels of recycling, composting and recovery needed to meet the waste strategy targets amounted to a range of between £3.4 billion and £7.7 billion (net present value) over the 20-year period 2000–20.
	Waste Strategy 2000 stated that the proposed targets for the recovery and recycling of municipal waste may not impose net additional costs if it is expected that a broad mix of waste management options will be required to meet the Landfill Directive targets; and that reliance on incineration and composting is unlikely to be viable.

Methane

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the estimate of the proportion of methane emissions arising from fossil fuel extraction, set out in paragraph 2.8 of the 22nd report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution; and what action she will take.

Michael Meacher: As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, the UK is required annually to compile an inventory of emissions by sources and removals by sinks of the greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol.
	The latest published inventory is for 2001. This shows that fugitive emissions of methane from fossil fuel extraction represent 29.5 per cent. of total methane emissions in the UK. This is broadly consistent with the figure of 28 per cent. quoted in the RCEP report.
	Fugitive emissions of methane in the UK have fallen by half between 1990 and 2001 mainly due to a large reduction in methane emissions from coal mining as coal production has declined. Leakage rates from the natural gas transmission and distribution network have improved as old mains are replaced leading to a reduction in emissions from the network of 14 per cent. over the period. Other fugitive emissions of methane arise from smaller sources, such as venting and flaring from offshore platforms.
	Methane emissions from abandoned coal mines, for which there is no internationally agreed estimation methodology, are currently not included in the UK inventory. The Department has recently commissioned a research project aiming to produce a verifiable estimates with the aim of inclusion in the inventory in future.

Methane

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the findings of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's 22nd report, "Energy-the Changing Climates", in paragraph 2.8 on page 18, on the contribution of methane gases from landfill sites to the greenhouse effect.

Michael Meacher: The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's 22nd report estimates that landfill methane emissions represent 7 to 8 per cent. of total global methane emissions from natural and anthropogenic sources. This is consistent with figures reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in their 1994 report on Climate Change. If natural sources are excluded, landfills contribute an estimated 11 per cent. to total global anthropogenic methane emissions, or some 2.4 per cent. of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions as a whole.
	Landfill emissions are generally higher for developed countries because of the greater amount of waste arising and because conditions within the landfills are more anaerobic. The latest published UK greenhouse gas emissions estimates are for 2001. These show that methane emissions from landfill sites represent 22 per cent. of total anthropogenic methane emissions, or 1.6 per cent. of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Historical data show that the UK ratio of landfill to total methane is comparable to that in other EU countries.
	Methane emissions from landfill sites in the UK have declined by 57 per cent. between 1990 and 2001 because of the implementation of methane recovery systems. This trend is likely to continue as the UK Government work towards compliance with the EU Landfill Directive. The Directive requires that all landfill gas is collected and treated, and sets progressive targets for the diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill, with the ultimate target of diverting 65 per cent. of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled in 1995 from this disposal route by 2020.

Ministerial Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for her Department in 2002.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 663W.

Modulation Grants

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of grants paid through modulation are paid in fees to consultants; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Modulation receipts may not be used to cover the cost of consultants fees. The funds raised by modulation may only be spent on a limited range of rural development measures (in England, these are new agri-environment agreements only). Payments are made directly to the agreement holder.

Air Pollution (South Essex)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will instruct the Environment Agency immediately to implement legal action against those responsible for the pungent odours in South Essex and pursue that action as forcefully as possible with no loss of time.

Michael Meacher: Responsibility for enforcing the Waste Management Licensing Regulations rests with the Environment Agency. The Agency has served a legal Notice on the site operators, under section 42 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, requiring them to take a number of steps to comply with the conditions in their Waste Management Licence and prevent odours leaving the landfill site. These include significant remedial measures to prevent the generation of odour from the central leachate lagoon, which is believed to be the main source of sulphide gases. The Agency will be monitoring the implementation of this programme extremely tightly through regular site inspections and on-going dialogue with the operating company.
	The Agency is currently gathering admissible evidence from the site and consideration is being given as to whether prosecution is appropriate at this stage.

Public Expenditure

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the reasons for the difference between the public expenditure plans for her Department for 2002–03 and the estimated outturn for that year as listed in table 2.4 on page 29 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2003.

Margaret Beckett: The Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2003 shows, for Defra, estimated outturn for 2003 on a basis that is not strictly comparable with the final provision shown in the table.
	The main difference is that the final provision shown only includes expenditure within the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL), whereas the estimated outturn includes some £250 million reclassified from Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) to DEL at Main Estimates 2003. The outturn figures, in order to show trends, present this reclassification retrospectively. There is no increase in public expenditure as a result of this reclassification.
	A smaller part of the difference arises because the estimated outturn reflects some technical errors in information input to the Treasury database from which it is derived. These are due to be corrected later this year.
	As a result Defra's final outturn is expected to be within its final provision.

Recycling

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to fund the roll-out of kerbside recycling to all homes.

Michael Meacher: Current Government policy does not require kerbside recycling schemes to all homes. The Government sets targets for the level of recycling to be achieved, it is for local authorities to decide how they should be achieved. There are, therefore, no funds targetted specifically at kerbside collection although local authorities can and do use existing government funding for waste management—including the national Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund—to extend kerbside recycling collections in their areas.

Set-aside

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Department has to lobby her European counterparts to reverse the prohibition on the growing of non-food crops on set-aside land.

Michael Meacher: The original CAP reform proposals removed the existing derogation which allows non-food crops to be grown on set-aside. Since these proposals were published, there have been a number of detailed discussions. The European Commission have indicated that they may make some changes to their original proposal on set-aside, including allowing continued access for non-food crops. Our view is that if set-aside is to continue, it must be applied in a flexible way which maximises its potential benefits.
	Negotiations are continuing in Brussels, due to be concluded in June.

Sustainable Waste

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the Government to respond to the Strategy Unit's report, "Waste Not Want Not", published on 27 November 2002.

Michael Meacher: The Government's response to the Strategy Unit report was published on 6 May.

Waste and Resources Action Programme

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the responsibilities allocated to the Waste and Resources Action Programme; and what the present budget allocation is.

Michael Meacher: The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established to promote more sustainable waste management by working to create more stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products.
	WRAP's current business plan, covering the period from 2001–04, focuses on four specific materials: plastics, paper, glass and wood, and three general areas where action is needed to remove barriers to the greater use of recycled materials and products: financial mechanisms, standards and procurement.
	For 2003–04 WRAP has been allocated £10.2 million from Defra, £5 million from DTI and £0.6 million from the Welsh Assembly Government, for the continuation of its market development work. It may also receive small additional contributions from the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly.
	Since 2002 WRAP has also taken on a programme of work on minimising the need for primary aggregates, funded through the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund. The budget has yet to be finalised but is likely to be between £9 million–£13 million.
	From 2003–04 WRAP will be taking forward three new programmes of work recommended by the Strategy Unit in its report "Waste Not, Want Not", in addition to their 'core' programme, on recycling (kerbside best practice and development of the organics market), waste minimisation and waste awareness. The budget has yet to be finalised but is likely to be of the order of £17.5 million for 2003–04.

Waste and Resources Action Programme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the effects upon the cost of (a) collection and (b) management of municipal waste stream in the UK of complying with the requirements of Article 5 of the Landfill Directive to (i) reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste to 50 per cent. of 1995 levels by 2013 and (ii) reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste to 35 per cent. of 1995 levels by 2020;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the effect upon the cost of collection and management of municipal waste in the UK of meeting the (a) recycling and (b) recovery targets of the Waste Strategy 2000.

Michael Meacher: The costs involved in meeting the Article 5 Landfill Directive targets and other waste strategy targets were set out in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published with Waste Strategy 2000.
	A base case was established and various policy mixes were costed against that base case. The additional costs of the policy mixes that should deliver the levels of recycling, composting and recovery needed to meet the waste strategy targets fell in the range £3.4 billion to £7.7 billion (net present value) over the 20-year period 2000–20.
	Waste Strategy 2000 stated that the proposed targets for the recovery and recycling of municipal waste may not impose net additional costs if it is assumed that a broad mix of waste management options will be required to meet the Landfill Directive targets; and that reliance on incineration and composting is unlikely to be viable.

World Summit on Sustainable Development

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

Michael Meacher: Defra has lead responsibility for six of the main commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD): oceans issues, fisheries, agriculture, international biodiversity, chemicals and sustainable consumption and production patterns (SCP). My officials are currently ensuring that the commitments on agriculture are integrated into the existing delivery plan for our PSA5 target. The remaining commitments are not yet reflected in the delivery planning system. The outcomes of the 2004 spending review cannot be pre-empted but, in consultation with HM Treasury, I intend to take the opportunity to incorporate these commitments into the system through amending and adding targets and delivery plans where relevant. To this end, my officials are currently working on draft proposals which will be considered in the spending review.

TREASURY

Cambridge MIT Institute Project

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General at the National Audit Office on the Treasury's role in instigating the Cambridge MIT Institute project, established between the Cambridge University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been no published findings by the National Audit Office on the Cambridge MIT Institute project.

Cambridge MIT Institute Project

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what formal appraisal was carried out by the Treasury of the Cambridge MIT Institute (CMI) project before it started operation.

Paul Boateng: MIT and Cambridge produced a detailed project proposal for the Cambridge MIT Institute (CMI) in June 2000. On the basis of this and a framework agreement, which set out the terms under which CMI would be governed and funded, public funding was allocated to the project, which then began operation. Given the unique nature of the project, and the lack of accurate metrics in its area cf operation knowledge transfer, formal appraisal was not practicable.

Cambridge MIT Institute Project

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which minister was responsible for the Cambridge MIT Institute (CMI) project between 1998 and 2000.

Paul Boateng: As part of his programme of reforms designed to raise productivity growth across the UK economy, the Chancellor of the Exchequer was involved at the inception of the Cambridge MIT Institute (CMI), between 1998 and 2000, to discuss how the project could be set up to forge joint educational and research initiatives in order to improve entrepreneurship, productivity and competitiveness in the UK. The Government's commitment to funding the CMI project for five years was given in November 1999 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The funding was allocated to the project by the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury during the 2000 Spending Review, which made available resources for the Office of Science and Technology at the Department of Trade and Industry to fund CMI. DTI Ministers are responsible for the management of this budget and the funding of the project.

Customs and Excise

Lembit �pik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the Home Office on Customs and Excise's business plans to cut frontline anti-smuggling staff across the UK; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: There will be no cut in overall frontline law enforcement staff across the UK. As a result of the new money announced in the Chancellor's budget statement, Customs anti-smuggling and border security resources will increase overall over the next three years.

E-government

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by project the consultancies (a) his Department, (b) its non-departmental public bodies, (c) HM Customs and Excise and (d) Inland Revenue have used on e-government projects since 1 January 2001.

Dawn Primarolo: The consultancies used by the Chancellor's Departments on e-government projects since 1 January 2001 are as follows:
	(a) HM Treasury
	Treasury website project-consultancy from Bates/CCGXM.
	(b) No consultancies have been used by its non-Departmental public bodies.
	(c) HM Customs and Excise
	HMCE's eBusiness Programme consists of seven sub-programmes. Consultancies have been utilised within each as follows:
	
		
			 Project Consultancy 
		
		
			 Single View of the Customer Borland UK Ltd 
			 (SvoC) Cornwell Affiliates 
			  DBI Consulting 
			  Detica Ltd. 
			  Methods Application Ltd. 
			  Nesco Group 
			  Parity Solutions Ltd. 
			  Xansa Recruitment Ltd. 
			 e-Human Resources (eHR) DBI Consulting 
			  Electronic Data Systems Ltd. 
			  Methods Application Ltd. 
			  Nesco Group 
			  Oracle Corporation UK Ltd. 
			 Web Channels (Internet) Methods Application Ltd. 
			  Xansa Recruitment Ltd. 
			 e-Services Support (eSS) Methods Application Ltd. 
			  Nesco Group 
			 Case Management (CM) Detica Ltd. 
			  Methods Application Ltd. 
			  Open Text 
			  Parity Solutions Ltd. 
			 Accounts and Payments (AP) DBI Consulting 
			  Methods Application Ltd. 
			  Nesco Group 
			  Oracle Corporation UK Ltd. 
			 Technology Transformation Borland UK Ltd. 
			 Programme (TTP) Cornwell Affiliates 
			  DBI Consulting 
			  Methods Application Ltd. 
			  Nesco Group 
			  Parity Solutions Ltd. 
			  Xansa Recruitment Ltd. 
			 Across all programmes Accenture 
		
	
	(d) Inland Revenue
	The Revenue has engaged consultancies on the following e-business projects.
	
		
			 Project Consultancy 
		
		
			 New Tax Credits (NTC) PA Consulting 
			 Modernising PAYE Processes for Customers (MPPC) A. T. Kearney 
			  Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) Ltd. 
			  French Thornton Partnership Ltd. 
			 e-Services Programme (eSP)  
			 On Filing Services for:  
			 Self Assessment French Thornton Partnership Limited 
			  Cap Gemini Ernst  Young (CGEY) plc 
			 Pay As You Earn (PAYE) French Thornton Partnership Limited 
			  GID 
			  Mindmap Limited 
			  Atlan Limited 
			 Corporation Tax Cap Gemini Ernst  Young (CGEY) plc 
			  Alan Whitfield Associates 
			  SAIC Ltd. 
			 On Web Services Sapient Corporation 
			  Mindmap Limited 
			 On e-contact Cap Gemini Ernst  Young (CGEY) plc 
			 On 'business.gov' French Thornton Partnership Limited 
			  Sapient Corporation

Entertainment

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 6 May 2003, ref.106256, on entertainment, on what dates he entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost in each case.

Paul Boateng: Paragraph 65 of the Ministerial Code states that:
	Government property should not generally be used for constituency work or party activities. A particular exception is recognised in the case of Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street, Carlton House Terrace and other official residences where senior Ministers are required to live for the purposes of the job. Where Ministers host Party events in these residences or other Government property, it should be at their own or party expense with no cost falling to the public purse.
	All entertainment by the Treasury has upheld the Ministerial Code.

EU Savings Directive

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress of recent negotiations over the EU Savings Directive.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Chancellor on 20 May 2003 columns 66667 and to my answer on 26 March 2003 columns 25253W.

Fiscal Rules

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the fiscal rules in connection with the next economic cycle.

Paul Boateng: Consistent with the Code for Fiscal Stability, the public finances projections set out in Budget 2003 (HC 500) show that the Government are firmly on track to meet their strict fiscal rules: the average current budget since 19992000 is in surplus throughout the projection period, consistent with meeting the golden rule; and public sector net debt remains comfortably below 40 per cent. of GDP, consistent with meeting the sustainable investment rule.

Forecasting

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission a technical review of the Treasury's forecasting procedures.

Paul Boateng: There are no plans to commission such a review at the present time.

Forecasting

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Pre Budget Report public finances projections for 200405 in respect of his Budget 2003 are based on the bottom of the forecast range for growth in each year of the projection period.

Paul Boateng: The public finance projections have been consistently based on the bottom end of the forecast range for GDP growth in each year of the projection period: there has been no departure from this practice for either the 2002 Pre-Budget Report or Budget 2003.

Forecasting

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish the technical studies upon which his growth forecasts are based.

Paul Boateng: The Government published a paper Trend Growth: Recent Developments and Prospects, alongside the April 2002 Budget. This set out the Treasury's latest assessment of the neutral rate of trend growth which is used to anchor the Government's economic forecasts.

Growth

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the figures for the assumed trend output growth used to estimate the output gap in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203.

Paul Boateng: Table B3 of the Financial Strategy and Budget Report 2003 (HC 500) provided estimates of the composition and rate of trend output growth, as used by the Treasury to calculate the output gap.

Illegal Food Imports

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 14 May 2003, Official Report, columns 26162W, on food imports, how much will be spent in 200304 on (a) mobile anti-smuggling teams, (b) the detector dog programme, (c) intelligence activity and (d) publicity campaigns at ports and airports in the UK and overseas.

John Healey: holding answer 22 May 2003
	Customs expect that these four areas will consume most of the 4 million allocated in 200304. However, the information requested is not available; Exemption 4 (law enforcement and legal proceedings) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information applies to all such information about Customs law enforcement activities.

Illegal Food Imports

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer to Parliamentary Question, ref 112559 of 13 May, (a) whether the personnel for the new mobile anti-smuggling teams will be drawn from existing Customs personnel, (b) which regions the new anti-smuggling teams will operate in, (c) which regions the detector dogs will operate in, (d) what provisions are in place for replacing ill detector dogs and (e) when the publicity campaign at ports and airports in the UK and overseas will be unveiled.

John Healey: Staff for the new teams will be drawn from existing Customs personnel. The anti-smuggling teams and detector dogs are mobile and the locations of their deployment will be varied according to risk. Where illness or injury seriously impairs a detector dog's long-term effectiveness, the dog would normally be retired from duty. Customs would then arrange for the supply and training of a new dog as soon as possible. DEFRA publicity is continuing while Customs publicity material is developed. This will be rolled out later this year.

Inland Revenue

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the Inland Revenue's consultants previously worked for the Revenue before taking retirement and being engaged as a consultant.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue does not hold centrally any information on the previous employment history of those engaged as consultants by its business areas. However, we have identified two retired employees who are currently working directly on a consultancy basis. These are on short-term contracts and for reasons of essential business continuity.

Ministerial Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department was in 2002.

Dawn Primarolo: For the cost of ministerial cars to all Government departments, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 20 May Official Report, column 663W).
	Expenditure on taxis by the Treasury in the calendar year 2002 was 111,000.

Non-domiciled Residents

Stephen Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of tax foregone as a consequence of the tax policy towards non-domiciled residents in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.

Pension Funds

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research has been commissioned into the potential impact on the broader economy of the condition of UK pension funds.

Dawn Primarolo: The Pensions Green Paper published in December 2002 found that the level of privately funded pensions is high by international standards. The performance of private pensions will reflect the underlying performance of the economy, and the fundamental drivers of a successful economy are in place. In addition, at the time of the 2002 pre-Budget report, the Treasury published an assessment of the impact of an ageing population on the public finances. The report found that the public finances are sustainable in the long term, and that the UK is in a strong position relative to many other developed countries.

Tax Credits

Richard Burden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his actions since the statement of 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 53, to overcome delays in the processing of tax credit claims and on the progress of his Department on the matter.

Dawn Primarolo: Over 4 million claims for the new tax credits have now been received. This is in addition to the 1.3 million families who will get the benefit of the increased generosity of the Child Tax Credit through IS/JSA this year.
	Around 3.5 million awards are already in payment. This includes the 2 million families opting to get their money every 4 weeks, who were sent their first payment of tax credits by Friday 2 May as planned.

Tax Credits

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the administrative cost has been of introducing each tax credit; and what his estimate is of the annual administration cost for each of the current tax credits (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the payments made.

Dawn Primarolo: A broad estimate of the annual cost of administering the child and working tax credits appears in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published on 15 July 2002; it represents approximately 2 per cent. of the total forecast annual expenditure on these tax credits.

Tax Credits

Lembit �pik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in (a) Montgomeryshire and (b) Wales are eligible to receive (i) child tax credit and (ii) working tax credit; and how many are receiving them.

Dawn Primarolo: It is estimated that 320,000 families are expected to receive the child tax credit and 80,000 families are expected to receive the working tax credit in Wales (including some who are also expected to receive the child tax credit).
	Statistics on awards of these tax credits will be published in August.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employers are paying the working tax credit to one or more of their employees.

Dawn Primarolo: The total number of employers paying tax credits is expected to be around 300,000 during any one year, broadly the same as for the Working Families' and Disabled Person's Tax Credits.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are receiving the working tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Statistics on Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit awards will be published in August.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the operation of provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 8 May 2003, Official Report, columns 3840WS.

Indonesia

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total value is of United Kingdom arms and weapons (a) contracts signed and (b) deliveries made to Indonesia since 1997.

Adam Ingram: In the period from 1997 to 2001, deliveries of defence-related equipment to Indonesia were worth some 280 million. The value of export orders placed during this period was some 120 million.
	Figures for 2002 are not yet available. The basis for measures of defence exports using deliveries and identified orders is explained on page 29 of UK Defence Statistics 2002, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces Pay

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British service personnel serving in the Gulf receive extra (a) pay and (b) allowances for going to war; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Members of the United Kingdom armed forces have an expectation of world wide service in a wide variety of operations, including war service, and their pay and allowances are structured accordingly and reviewed annually by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB), an independent organisation.
	Service basic pay includes an additional elementthe X Factor (currently 13 per cent. of basic pay and pensionable, for all ranks up to Lieutenant Colonel and equivalent at the mid pay point, beyond which it tapers) to reflect the differences between conditions of service experienced by members of the UK armed forces over a full career and conditions in UK civilian life. The X Factor was increased from 12 per cent. in the 2000 award. Various allowances are also payable, such as the Longer Separated Service Allowance (LSSA) and Longer Service at Sea Bonus (LSSB) to compensate personnel for time away from their permanent base and separation from their families.
	As part of their 2003 Report (published on 7 February) the AFPRB recommended substantial above inflation increases to LSSA and LSSB and their attendant bonuses, as well as a reduction in the qualifying time for LSSA. Given the international situation existing at that time, the AFPRB requested that the changes to LSSA and LSSB be implemented from 1 March 2003, a month in advance of the normal implementation date for armed forces pay awards of 1 April. These recommendations, along with the remainder of the 2003 Report were accepted in full by the Government.

Armoured Vehicles (Gulf Deployment)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) armoured fighting vehicles and (b) main battle tanks will be taken by 19 Mechanised Brigade to the Gulf.

Adam Ingram: The final complement of vehicles being deployed with 19 Mechanised Brigade is still being confirmed. It will include 14 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks and the following, approximate, numbers of other armoured vehicles: 56 Warrior; 120 Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) including Scimitar, Samaritan, Sultan and Spartan variants; 80 Saxon and a significant number of FV432.

Chinook Helicopter

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Chinook fleet was last upgraded.

Adam Ingram: A mid-life upgrade programme to convert the Chinook Mkl helicopter fleet to Mk 2 standard was completed in 1995. This was the last major fleet upgrade programme.
	Subsequent to this conversion the Chinook Mk2 has been subject to a number of changes to enhance the capability of the aircraft, most recently in response to operations in Afghanistan and the Gulf. In common with other military aircraft, modifications designed to maintain airworthiness and reliability are also incorporated into the fleet from time to time.

Defence White Paper

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to publish the Defence White Paper 2003 between 8 and 18 September.

Geoff Hoon: As previously indicated, it remains my intention to publish a Defence White Paper in the autumn.

Equipment Supply

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of equipment supply to the armed forces.

Adam Ingram: We have the mechanisms in place to supply the equipment that our armed forces need. Equipment is held to meet the requirements of a range of possible scenarios. Additional equipment and supplies for specific operational needs can be obtained direct from our commercial partners, where necessary through the Ministry of Defence's tried and tested urgent operational requirement process. The recent operation in Iraq, for which an equivalent quantity of material to that supplied for the first Gulf conflict was deployed in half the time, demonstrated the overall adequacy of supply. However, action is in hand to identify lessons from this operation and we will publish the results in due course, subject to the usual constraints on force protection and security.

Arms Exports

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from defence contractors regarding restrictions on moving armaments between EU countries; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 1 May 2003
	The Ministry of Defence has received a number of representations from defence contractors concerning secondary legislation to be enacted under the Export Control Act 2002.
	The Government remain committed to ensuring that the new controls under the Act are brought into force with the minimum administrative burden, and to work with the defence industry to achieve this.
	The Department of Trade and Industry has recently led a consultation exercise on the draft secondary legislation, and full consideration will be given to all replies.

Eurofighter

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the UK for Eurofighter will be in 200304; what percentage of the defence budget this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The cost to the United Kingdom for the Eurofighter Typhoon in 200304 is currently forecast to be 1,465 million; this represents just under 4.0 per cent. of the total defence budget for this financial year. This figure includes procurement of the aircraft, the associated Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids system and in-service support equipment and facilities.

Eurofighter

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the recently departed Chief of the Defence Staff regarding Her Majesty's Government's order for 232 Typhoon aircraft.

Adam Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence had regular discussions with the 'recently departed' Chief of the Defence Staff about a wide range of important enhancements to the capability of our Armed Forces including Typhoon.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many technology access agreements have been signed by Her Majesty's Government and the United States in respect of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; and what areas of technology they covered.

Adam Ingram: To date, 10 Technical Assistance Agreements have been signed by representatives of Her Majesty Government that have applicability to the current JSF System Development and Demonstration phase. Technology addressed can be both classified and unclassified and covers the areas of the fuel system; flight controls; air vehicle; Electronic Warfare; mission systems; vehicle management systems; software and the propulsion system.

Foreign Military Units

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign military units have visited the UK and overseas territories since 2001; what the purpose of their visits was; what joint training was undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the value of (a) small and (b) large scale interaction between British and foreign militaries.

Adam Ingram: During the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2003, 8,037 overseas military personnel from 115 countries visited the United Kingdom to undertake training at UK military establishments. This serves a range of specific purposes in pursuit of British interests, linked to various Memoranda of Understanding. More generally, however, it has helped to foster good relations between the UK military and many Foreign and Commonwealth armed forces and has assisted in achieving a higher degree of interoperability and influence than may otherwise have been possible. The principal objective of this activity is to use British Defence assets in peacetime to discourage hostility abroad, build and maintain trust between states, and assist in the development of democratically accountable armed forces; thereby helping to make a significant contribution to conflict prevention and resolution. A full breakdown of the numbers trained by country is set out in the following tables.
	
		1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002
		
			 Country Total 
		
		
			 Albania 13 
			 Algeria 2 
			 Argentina 11 
			 Australia 106 
			 Austria 11 
			 Bahamas 2 
			 Bahrain 29 
			 Bangladesh 3 
			 Barbados 1 
			 Belgium 86 
			 Belize 30 
			 Bermuda 14 
			 Bosnia 1 
			 Botswana 13 
			 Brazil 15 
			 Brunei 183 
			 Bulgaria 11 
			 Canada 358 
			 Chile 7 
			 China 41 
			 Croatia 9 
			 Czech Republic 30 
			 Denmark 34 
			 Egypt 20 
			 El Salvador 1 
			 Estonia 5 
			 Fiji 2 
			 Finland 12 
			 France 51 
			 Gambia 1 
			 Georgia 7 
			 Germany 122 
			 Ghana 8 
			 Greece 48 
			 Guatemala 4 
			 Guyana 6 
			 Hong Kong 3 
			 Hungary 30 
			 Iceland 1 
			 India 18 
			 Ireland 108 
			 Israel 14 
			 Italy 164 
			 Jamaica 33 
			 Japan 8 
			 Jordan 91 
			 Kazakhstan 3 
			 Kenya 10 
			 Korea 10 
			 Kuwait 313 
			 Kyrghistan 1 
			 Latvia 17 
			 Lebanon 2 
			 Lithuania 13 
			 Luxembourg 1 
			 Macedonia 8 
			 Malawi 5 
			 Malaysia 18 
			 Malta 2 
			 Moldova 8 
			 Morocco 5 
			 Mozambique 5 
			 NATO 21 
			 Nepal 34 
			 Netherlands 259 
			 New Zealand 39 
			 Nigeria 32 
			 Norway 202 
			 Oman 185 
			 Pakistan 53 
			 Papua New Guinea 3 
			 Paraguay 3 
			 Peru 1 
			 Philippines 10 
			 Poland 25 
			 Portugal 39 
			 Qatar 66 
			 Romania 17 
			 Russia 11 
			 Rwanda 1 
			 Saudi Arabia 56 
			 Senegal 15 
			 Sierra Leone 23 
			 Singapore 125 
			 Slovakia 21 
			 Slovenia 8 
			 South Africa 18 
			 South Korea 1 
			 Spain 26 
			 Sri Lanka 7 
			 St. Vincent 2 
			 Swaziland 1 
			 Sweden 25 
			 Switzerland 11 
			 Syria 1 
			 Tanzania 9 
			 Thailand 29 
			 Tonga 5 
			 Trinidad  Tobago 6 
			 Turkey 73 
			 Uganda 2 
			 Ukraine 38 
			 UAE 109 
			 Uruguay 5 
			 USA 131 
			 Yemen 7 
			 Yugoslavia (FRY) 3 
			 Total 3,946 
		
	
	
		1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003
		
			 Country Total 
		
		
			 Albania 7 
			 Angola 2 
			 Antigua  Barbuda 2 
			 Argentina 6 
			 Armenia 2 
			 Australia 106 
			 Austria 53 
			 Azerbaijan 2 
			 Bahamas 6 
			 Bahrain 35 
			 Bangladesh 147 
			 Barbados 4 
			 Belgium 85 
			 Belize 27 
			 Bermuda 19 
			 Bosnia 1 
			 Botswana 9 
			 Brazil 7 
			 Brunei 175 
			 Bulgaria 13 
			 Canada 203 
			 Chile 60 
			 China 34 
			 Colombia 1 
			 Croatia 5 
			 Czech Republic 62 
			 Denmark 30 
			 Egypt 17 
			 Estonia 10 
			 Ethiopia 1 
			 Fiji 2 
			 Finland 11 
			 France 76 
			 Georgia 6 
			 Germany 100 
			 Ghana 15 
			 Greece 51 
			 Grenada 1 
			 Guatemala 5 
			 Guyana 9 
			 Honduras 4 
			 Hong Kong Police 1 
			 Hungary 26 
			 India 14 
			 Indonesia 1 
			 Ireland 56 
			 Israel 4 
			 Italy 71 
			 Jamaica 34 
			 Japan 5 
			 Jordan 107 
			 Kazakhstan 1 
			 Kenya 26 
			 Korea 6 
			 Kosovo 36 
			 Kuwait 354 
			 Kyrgystan 2 
			 Latvia 16 
			 Lithuania 13 
			 Luxembourg 2 
			 Macedonia 12 
			 Malawi 21 
			 Malaysia 62 
			 Malta 2 
			 Mauritania 2 
			 Mauritius 5 
			 Mexico 4 
			 Moldova 2 
			 Morocco 2 
			 Mozambique 2 
			 Namibia 2 
			 Nepal 44 
			 Netherlands 241 
			 New Zealand 32 
			 Nigeria 30 
			 Norway 210 
			 Oman 188 
			 Pakistan 57 
			 Papua New Guinea 1 
			 Paraguay 3 
			 Peru 2 
			 Philippines 10 
			 Poland 14 
			 Portugal 84 
			 Qatar 75 
			 Romania 20 
			 Russia 21 
			 Rwanda 1 
			 Saudi Arabia 83 
			 Senegal 7 
			 Sierra Leone 11 
			 Singapore 97 
			 Slovakia 29 
			 Slovenia 4 
			 South Africa 24 
			 Spain 15 
			 Sri Lanka 1 
			 St. Vincent 1 
			 Sweden 37 
			 Switzerland 16 
			 Syria 2 
			 Tanzania 7 
			 Thailand 33 
			 Tonga 1 
			 Trinidad  Tobago 27 
			 Turkey 38 
			 Uganda 4 
			 Ukraine 23 
			 United Arab Emirates 114 
			 Uruguay 1 
			 USA 179 
			 Uzbekistan 2 
			 Vietnam 2 
			 Yemen 13 
			 Total 4,091

Gibraltar

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his Spanish counterpart concerning Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has not had any recent discussions with his Spanish counterpart concerning Gibraltar.

Gulf War

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the appraisal of kit performance in the Gulf War will be published.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is presently conducting an assessment, to capture and analyse the lessons from the operations in Iraq. It is expected that a final report of the operation will be published by the end of 2003.

Gulf War

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any individuals detained by British forces in the Gulf are not being held under the terms of the Geneva Convention.

Adam Ingram: No. All Iraqi citizens captured by United Kingdom forces are being held under the authority of, and in accordance with, the terms of the Geneva Conventions.

Helicopter Rotor Blades

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) the life expectancy of rotor blades in European conditions and (b) the average life expectancy in Iraq and Kuwait of each type of helicopter deployed in Operation Telic is; and if he will make a statement on the comparative lift capability of the fleets in such conditions.

Adam Ingram: Main rotor blades typically have a long life expectancy, which in many cases is reflected in a fatigue life which exceeds that of the rotorcraft. Main rotor blades do, however, have a Mean Time Between Replacement (MTBR) which is shown by rotorcraft type in the following table. These figures represent a mean across all usage, and are not separated by environmental conditions (data on this are not held). Usually, main rotor blades that are replaced are repaired and returned to service.
	
		
			 Rotorcraft MTBR of main rotor blades (flying hours) 
		
		
			 Chinook Mk 2/2a 1,600 
			 Puma 994 
			 Sea King Mk 4/7 986 
			 Lynx Mk 3/7/8/9 1,366 
			 Gazelle 279 
			 Merlin Mk 1 Unknown due to insufficient use 
		
	
	Lift capability is determined by a number of factors. These include engine performance, which will be affected by high temperatures, and correspondingly lower air density, encountered in desert regions such as parts of Iraq. Post operational reporting will provide analysis and an assessment of equipment deployed on operations in Iraq. It would, therefore, be premature to provide a detailed assessment of the performance of equipment and any effect on operational use at this stage.

HMS Ark Royal

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to put HMS Ark Royal into reserve ahead of schedule.

Adam Ingram: There are no plans at present to place HMS Ark Royal into reserve, nor are there plans to place her into a lower level of readiness earlier than scheduled.

International Trafficking in Arms Regulations

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely impact on Britain's defence industry of the refusal by the US Congress to grant a waiver to the United Kingdom in respect of International Trafficking in Arms Regulations.

Adam Ingram: United Kingdom and United States Government officials have recently agreed proposed texts for a waiver from the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). This will provide for export licensing requirements to be waived in respect of certain unclassified defence items and technical data exported to Her Majesty's Government and qualified companies in the UK, which would facilitate US/UK defence industrial collaboration.
	Work continues on regulatory and administrative implementation measures needed to complete the undertakings that have been agreed between the Governments.
	The US Government will respond to matters raised by the Congress about the terms of the agreement that has been reached.

Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role was undertaken by the Royal Marines in preventing the destruction of Iraqi oil facilities during the Gulf conflict.

Adam Ingram: Seizure of key elements of the Iraqi oil infrastructure was an early objective for the coalition in order to deny Iraqi forces the opportunity for sabotage, prevent environmental damage and to preserve the oil industry for the Iraqi people. The Royal Marines took the town of Al Faw with its significant oil infrastructure intact as part of a joint operation with United States and Australian Forces. They remained in place securing the peninsula and the associated oil infrastructure until the beginning of May 2003.

Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of 3 Commando Royal Marines in the seizure of Umm Qasr port during the Gulf conflict.

Adam Ingram: The seizure of Umm Qasr port intact was an early strategic objective for the Coalition campaign in Southern Iraq. Three Commando Brigade took the Al Faw peninsula, a key enabler for the seizure of the port as part of a joint operation with United States and Australian forces.

Iraq

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions took place with US military officials regarding the risk of looting from Iraqi museums and repositories of cultural artefacts (a) prior to and (b) during recent hostilities; and what discussions have taken place since the Coalition occupation of Baghdad.

Adam Ingram: An important element of the Coalition's plans was to restore stability in areas they occupied as quickly as possible. In so doing they successfully helped to reduce incidents of looting generally. We are not, however, aware of any discussions with US military officials specifically relating to the risk of looting from Iraqi museums and repositories of cultural artefacts.
	Since the liberation of Iraq, US and UK Governments have worked together to take steps to help recover any treasures that have been removed, including a US funded reward scheme for the safe return of antiquities.

Iraq

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British Challenger 2 tanks are to be left in Iraq after the return of British troops; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: No. It is planned that all Challenger tanks will leave with their units.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of each battle damage assessment compiled during Operation Telic.

Adam Ingram: It would be inappropriate to make battle damage assessments available. They contain detailed information about the pattern and effectiveness of United Kingdom operations. Their public release could jeopardise future UK operations.
	I am therefore withholding this information under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information).

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Article V tribunals have been conducted by British military personnel in connection with verification of the status of Iraqi prisoners of war.

Adam Ingram: No tribunals under Article V of the Geneva Convention have been convened by United Kingdom personnel in Iraq. A number of screening panels have, however, been convened with a view to determine the status of prisoners of war, as a result of which a significant number of detainees have been released.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 9 April 2003, Official Report, column 298W, regarding the Wafa al-Qaed water treatment plant, what reports he has received on the cause of the curtailment of electricity supply to the plant and who was responsible; whether there were (a) bombing activities and (b) special forces activity in the area; how long the treatment plan has been out of action; whether it is fully repaired; who is taking responsibility for the repair; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: It is likely that the power supply to the Waif al-Qaed water treatment plant was cut off when the southern Iraqi electricity grid was shut down by its Iraqi operators at the beginning of the conflict. The plant was restarted by the operators on 4 April using standby generators, and the mains power supply was re-established on 11 April. The Iraqi operators continue to be responsible for the operation of the Waif al-Qaed water treatment plant.
	The electricity cables supplying the Waif al-Qaed water treatment plant were not targeted by United Kingdom forces, and we have no reports to suggest that they were hit by any coalition air assets.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many bombs were used by British forces in Iraq that had an expiry date in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: For the purposes of answering this question I have taken bombs to mean large, high explosive air to ground bombs, specifically the RAFs 5401b and l000lb free-fall bombs, and the l000lb and 20001b Paveway bombs.
	These weapons do not have an expiry date, but are subject to maintenance checks every 10 years and have a finite air carriage life. In addition, they have specified environmental storage limitations that cannot be exceeded. If any one of these criteria is reached the weapons undergo a thorough maintenance programme before being brought back into service again, or are destroyed. All bombs used during Operation TELIC were within their maintenance schedule, climatic constraints and carriage life limits.

Iraq

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has (a) given to and (b) received from the organisation called Iraq Body Count.

Adam Ingram: Defence Ministers have had no contact with an organisation called Iraq Body Count.

Naval Air Squadrons

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which dates the whole of 800 NAS and 801 NAS have been deployed at sea in each of the past three years.

Adam Ingram: The following table lists dates where all available pilots or aircraft from 800 NAS and 801 NAS have been deployed at sea:
	
		
			  800 NAS 801 NAS 
		
		
			 2000 17 April-9 July 
			 8 September-5 November 24 January-12 June 
			 2001 22 January-6 February 
			 5 September-7 September 29 January-15 February 
			 6 February-8 March 
			 18 June-30 June 
			 2002 12 February-18 February 
			 15 April-15 June 
			 3 September-18 October Nil 
			 2003 5 May-13 May Nil to date

Ordnance

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total expenditure on ordnance was in the UK for 200203.

Adam Ingram: The total procurement cost of munitions in the United Kingdom for 200203 was 411 million.

SA80 Rifle

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what continuing works will be carried out on the SA80 following the end of the conflict in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The phased introduction of the modified SA80 weapon systemthe SA80 A2will continue until the completion of the programme in 2006. Minor improvements to the weapon and its ancillaries, such as the cleaning kit, are being trialled and will be taken forward as necessary.

Sea Harriers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans to withdraw Sea Harriers earlier than dates previously announced.

Adam Ingram: There are no current plans to withdraw the Sea Harrier FA2 aircraft from service earlier than dates previously announced.

Trainer Jets

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with Finmeccanica concerning (a) its proposals to supply Aermacchi jets to the Royal Air Force, (b) its commitment to build the jet in the UK and (c) its commitment to use Rolls-Royce as its engine supplier.

Adam Ingram: No discussions have been held with Finmeccanica. Officials have, however, held a number of informal discussions with Aermacchi in connection with our requirement for a future Advanced Jet Trainer. These discussions have been exploratory in nature. Accordingly, no commitments have been entered into either by Aermacchi or the Ministry of Defence.

Trainer Jets

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contractors who have been asked to provide proposals to supply trainer jets to the Royal Air Force; and by what criteria bids will be assessed.

Adam Ingram: A formal proposal has been received from BAE Systems following an initial unsolicited proposal in October 2001. Exploratory discussions have been held with both Finmeccanica and representatives of Lockheed Martin and Korean Aerospace Industries. However, neither has been invited to submit a formal proposal. We are currently considering the BAE Systems proposal. A decision on the way ahead is expected by the end of June 2003. A number of criteria will be taken into account, including economic, industrial and potential export factors as well as value for money for the taxpayer and the need to ensure that their proposal meets our capability requirement.

Trainer Jets

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the Government's procedures regarding competitive tendering will apply in the case of the supply of trainer jets to the Royal Air Force.

Adam Ingram: We are currently considering whether to accept a proposal from BAE Systems to meet our requirement for an Advanced Jet Trainer or to acquire this capability through a competition. A decision on the way ahead is expected by the end of June 2003.

Trainer Jets

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs that would be safeguarded in the event that Her Majesty's Government were to award BAE Systems the contract to supply Hawk advanced trainer jets; whether the potential job losses resulting from a decision to put the contract out to competition will be taken into account by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects on the workforce of BAE Systems if he does not accept its bid to meet the RAF's advanced trainer requirement;
	(2)  if he will make a decision about the Hawk Advanced Trainer before the end of June; and if he will make a statement.

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has received from BAE Systems to supply trainer jets to the Royal Air Force; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave on 19 May 2003, Official Report, column 580W, to the hon. Member for Vale of York (Miss McIntosh).

Type 23 Frigates

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to change the withdrawal from service dates of Type 23 Frigates; and whether the withdrawal date of any Type 23 is under review.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 47W, and 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 158W, to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis).

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Coffee

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State for International Development if the Government will offer financial support for the monitoring of the International Coffee Organisation's Quality Improvement Scheme.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	The European Union is responsible for paying the membership subscriptions of all EU member states at the International Coffee Organisation (ICO). The ICO Secretariat administers the Quality Coffee Scheme and part of the subscriptions of member countries is used to monitor the Scheme, primarily by gathering information from exporting members.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Coffee

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recommendations for action she will make at the International Coffee Organisation/World bank coffee conference on 19 May 2003 in London.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	The European Commission will speak on behalf of EU member states at the International Coffee Organisation/World Bank Conference. The Conference aims to bring together producers from developing countries, Government officials, experts from international organisations, advocacy groups and industry representatives to discuss alternatives such as diversification, quality, added value and market development in order to help coffee producers increase their income and improve living standards. It is hoped that the Conference will help to develop ideas for specific programmes and activities which could make a real contribution to solving the coffee crisis.

BAE Systems

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government have guaranteed the industrial participation agreement between BAE Systems and the South African Government.

Adam Ingram: I have been asked to reply.
	Her Majesty's Government have not guaranteed the industrial participation agreement between BAE Systems and the South African Government.

Progressive and Hereditary Illnesses

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  if she will make it her policy to promote protection of employees with progressive illnesses from being dismissed, from the point when symptoms are diagnosed;
	(2)  if she will make it her policy to promote employment protection for people with hereditary conditions.

Nick Brown: I have been asked to reply.
	The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) already protects from discrimination in employment, and other areas, a great many people who are disabled from progressive and hereditary conditions. This protection will be significantly extended as a result of draft Regulations we laid on 8 May 2003 under the European Communities Act 1972 which would ensure that, in October 2004, the DDA's employment provisions will cover over a million more employers as well as occupations such as the police, barristers and partners in partnerships. We are also considering, for inclusion in a draft Disability Bill that we will publish later this year, extending the DDA's approach to progressive conditions to cover more people with cancer and HIV.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service

Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects to publish the Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service for 2002.

Douglas Alexander: Data collection for the 2002 Report is currently under way and it is expected that the final Report will be issued in the late autumn.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his estimate is of the expenditure of his Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

Douglas Alexander: Estimated expenditure on newspapers, magazines and periodicals for all units within the Cabinet Office, including those prior to Machinery of Government changes in 200203 is 87,000.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

Douglas Alexander: The publication cost of the Cabinet Office Departmental Report 2001 was 25,248. This Report was inclusive of the Departmental Main Estimates for 200102. It also incorporated the Departmental Report requirement and submissions for the Central Office of Information; the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England; the Privy Council Office; House of Lords; House of Commons; National Audit Office and the Electoral Commission.
	Some additional costs (not included in the figure), are met by the publisher and do not fall to Government.

Government Car Service

Si�n Simon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of Government car service vehicles are manufactured in the UK; and what measures are in place to ensure the continued use of British-manufactured cars by Ministers.

Douglas Alexander: The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson, to write to my hon. Friend. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Lay Magistrates (Northern Ireland)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people have (a) applied and (b) been appointed as lay magistrates in Northern Ireland since 2001.

Rosie Winterton: The new office of lay magistrate will not be established until September 2004 and applications for appointment will be sought following a publicity campaign which will commence later this year.

Lay Magistrates (Northern Ireland)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether people with criminal records are eligible for appointment as lay magistrates in Northern Ireland.

Rosie Winterton: A draft Lay Magistrate Eligibility (Northern Ireland) Order will be laid before both Houses of Parliament later this year which will specify that no person shall be appointed to be a lay magistrate if he has been convicted of an offence punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one month.

Transsexual People

Lynne Jones: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she expects to publish the draft bill to bring UK legislation in line with the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in Goodwin and I v UK (Judgment of 11 July 2002); and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Government's policy on transsexual people remains unchanged from that set out in my statement to the House on 13 December 2002. We are committed to legislating as soon as possible to give transsexual people their Convention rights. Our aim is to publish a draft Bill later this session with substantive legislation following when Parliamentary time allows.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Abandoned Vehicles

John Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many abandoned motor vehicles have been collected in Leeds in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: I have been asked to reply.
	The question on abandoned vehicles was asked for first time in the 200001 Municipal Waste Management Survey. The numbers of abandoned vehicles reported by Leeds City Council are listed as follows.
	
		Leeds
		
			 Year Numbers 
		
		
			 200001 877 
			 200102 1,707 
		
	
	We have taken action to tackle the abandoned vehicle problem by reducing the statutory notice periods after which local authorities can remove abandoned vehicles from the highway and the storage periods for unlicensed vehicles. Local authorities can now remove from the highway those vehicles that they consider merit destruction after 24 hours.
	Following the success of the Newham pilot in which the local authority was given DVLA's powers to wheelclamp and remove unlicensed vehicles after 24 hours, we have announced that all Councils who wished could operate in the same way.
	More than 8,000 abandoned unlicensed vehicles have been targeted as a result of Operation Cubit with over 6,000 vehicles crushed. More Operations are planned. To date Operation Cubit has induced more than 27,000 motorists to relicense their vehicles voluntarily bringing in over 3.5 million in additional revenue.
	We have provided 2.7 million through the Invest to Save budget to enable local authorities to have quicker, easier access to DVLA's vehicle register
	The Government is currently developing proposals for the reform and modernisation of vehicle registration and licensing, to reduce evasion and to bear down on vehicle crime. In response to the recommendations of a report commissioned by the Department for Transport from the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science DfT have established a Modernising Vehicle Registration Implementation Board (MVRIB).
	This includes representatives of motorists' organisations, the motor trade, the police and the insurance industry to advise on and develop those proposals.
	The Finance Act 2002 contained provisions under which the responsibility for licensing and taxing vehicles will be placed on the registered keeper, who will remain liable for doing so until such time that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has properly been notified of a change of keeper. These proposals will also mean that it is not necessary for a vehicle to be detected on the road for effective enforcement action to take place. The implementation of these new powers is at the heart of MVRIB's agenda.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asbestos

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action he is taking to encourage businesses in the UK to take steps to remove asbestos from workplaces.

Nick Brown: Currently HSE inspectors use their powers under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to require employers to manage asbestos risks to their employees and others in the workplace.
	Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 (CAWR), which will come into force on 21 May 2004, places a duty on all those responsible for maintenance activities in non-domestic premises to manage the risk of any asbestos in the buildings under their control.
	This regulation requires the dutyholder to identify where asbestos is present, assess the risk and, depending on its condition and whether it is likely to be disturbed, take action to manage the risk. The duty to manage asbestos does not require all asbestos materials to be removed. If the asbestos is in good condition and is not likely to be disturbed it is safer to leave it in place and manage the risk of exposure.
	The Health and Safety Executive is engaged in a campaign to raise awareness of the risks from asbestos in buildings and to encourage dutyholders to achieve effective and proportionate compliance with the duty. They are being encouraged to start work now to meet their new obligations.

Adult Education

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) adults on (i) incapacity benefit and (ii) other disability benefits and (b) lone parents on income support were in higher education funded by (A) the Higher Education Funding Council for England and (B) the Learning and Skills Council in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Jobcentre Plus provides everyone of working age with advice and guidance on the full range of support available to help them move into work, including information on the education options open to them. From October 2001, all new claimants in Jobcentre Plus sites attend a personal adviser meeting to discuss the opportunities available for taking up work, advice on training and education is also available. People receive further support of this kind at intervals during their claim, at least once every three years.
	Information on the number of benefit recipients in higher education funded by the Higher Education Funding Council or the Learning and Skills Council is not available.

Jobcentre Plus

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) Benefits Agency staff and (b) Jobcentre Plus staff have been (i) disciplined, (ii) suspended, (iii) dismissed, (iv) prosecuted and (v) convicted for matters relating to benefit fraud in 200203; and how much benefit was defrauded in each case.

Malcolm Wicks: Information is not available in the exact format requested. Such information as is available is shown in the table. The table shows the value of fraud where known, and the outcome of the investigation where the member of staff was disciplined, dismissed, prosecuted or convicted. Where an amount is not shown in the table, either it has been not been possible to determine a value, or the overpayment is still being calculated.
	The functions of the former Benefits Agency were subsumed into Jobcentre Plus, The Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service from March 2002. All the staffwho were disciplined or prosecuted for these matters were Jobcentre Plus staff.
	The Department treats most seriously any allegations that a member of staff is involved in benefit fraud, and refers appropriate cases for prosecution and disciplinary action.
	In addition to these cases, a further four members of staff resigned before action was completed.
	
		Staff disciplined/prosecuted for involvement in benefit fraud 20022003
		
			 Outcome Value (s) 
		
		
			 Officer dismissed 5,300 
			 Officer dismissed - 
			 Written reprimand and banned from progression for two years 1,807 
			 Officer dismissed - 
			 Officer prosecuted and sentenced to 27 months in prison 135,000 
			 Officer dismissed and prosecuted with custodial sentence 2,666 
			 Officer dismissed, prosecution pending 2,600

Benefit Claims

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the present level of take-up of disability benefits; what the Government are doing to encourage the level of take-up by those eligible for disability benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: There is no reliable current estimate of the level of take-up disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance (AA), and an accurate estimate cannot be made because entitlement to the benefits is not based on diagnosis, but on the care and mobility needs arising from disability, which can vary widely between individuals.
	In the last five years the number of people receiving DLA and AA has increased by 24 per cent. and 9.6 per cent. respectively and the Department is taking steps to improve the take-up of the benefits in a targeted and well directed way.
	For example, new processes for claiming AA and DLA, resulting in claim forms that are much shorter, personalised and more responsive to customer needs, are currently being developed and tested.
	Forms for obtaining medical evidence from general practitioners have been redesigned so that they ask for objective clinical information only, which will improve the quality and consistency of decisions on entitlement.
	New information technology has been introduced throughout the organisation to speed up the decision making process and enable a better and more professional service.
	We are also working closer with partners such as local authorities and welfare rights organisations who are able to advise people about disability benefits in a far more targeted way than would be possible through any mass disability awareness campaigns, which could clog up the assessment process with nugatory claims.

Benefit Fraud

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many multiple identity fraud investigations have been conducted in each of the last six years; and what the maximum number of identities assumed for a given case was in each of those years;
	(2)  how many multiple identity benefit fraud investigations are under way; and what the maximum number of identities assumed for a given case is.

Malcolm Wicks: In line with part 2, paragraph 4, of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, we do not disclose information about on-going investigations. The information requested on previous investigations is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Benefit Order Books

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 6 May 2003, Official Report, column 545W, on benefits, how many contacts will be made with invited customers who fail or refuse to respond, before phasing out their order books; whether any order books have been phased out in respect of an invited customer who has failed to respond; and what steps he intends to take to ensure that such customers are not elderly and disabled people who qualify for the exceptions service.

Malcolm Wicks: We will be contacting all customers who fail or refuse to respond before orderbooks are no longer available, as we will need to make payment by another option.
	In the meantime there is no question of people not being able to get their money. Those customers who feel that the account options available do not meet their particular needs should contact the Customer Conversion Centre on the freephone number provided to discuss their needs and circumstances.
	Where customers genuinely are unable to manage an account they will be advised that, in the short term, they can retain their order book. However, order books are being phased out and will no longer be available after 2005.
	We are currently developing an alternative payment method to pay this small number of customers who are unable to open or manage an account.

Benefit Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the exceptions service will be post office based.

Malcolm Wicks: We are currently developing an alternative payment method to pay customers who are unable to open or manage an account. Payment outlets for this service will include post office branches.

Benefit Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will break down the cost of the new direct payment advertising campaign (a) by year and (b) by types of media used.

Maria Eagle: A budget of up to 25 million is available for the Direct Payment campaign, spread over a three-year period (200203 to 200405).
	Advertising media and production costs for the last financial year (200203) total 1,462,000. This figure breaks down as follows:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Radio media 383,000 
			 National press media 225,000 
			 Regional press media 250,000 
			 Production across all media 604, 000 
		
	
	The committed spend on advertising media and production to date for the current financial year is 3,629, 000. This figure breaks down as follows:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 TV media 1,319,000 
			 Radio media 560,000 
			 National press media 509, 000 
			 Regional press media 599, 000 
			 Magazine media 259, 000 
			 Ambient media 189,000 
			 Production across all media 194,000 
		
	
	Advertising costs for the remainder of this financial year and for next year are not yet available as the detail of the campaign is still in the process of development.
	All figures quoted in this answer are exclusive of VAT.

Benefit Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions have taken place with the Financial Ombudsman on the direct payment of benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department's officials regularly meet with a range of interested groups, including the Financial Ombudsman Service, to discuss the move to Direct Payment.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have claimed industrial injuries disablement benefit having contracted bovine TB in the last (a) two years, (b) five and (c) 10 years; and how many claims were successful in each of those periods.

Nick Brown: The information is not available.

Carers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the (a) support and (b) benefits available to carers in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Caring about CarersA National Strategy for Carers published in 1999 underlined the Government's commitment to support carers. Carers are entitled to an assessment by their local council to determine their needs as carers and their eligibility for support. Depending on their individual circumstances, carers have access to the full range of social security benefits including Carer's Allowance (CA) (previously Invalid Care Allowance) and the Carer Premium in income-related benefits.
	The improvements we have made to the support and benefits for carers on top of the annual upratings of benefits include:
	The introduction of the Carers' Grant in 1999 to support councils in providing short breaks for carers to enable them to continue to care whilst maintaining their own health and wellbeing;
	Strengthening, in 2000, of the right of carers to an assessment of their own needslocal councils were given a mandatory duty to support carers by providing services to carers directly, and in the provision of breaks from caring-and making Direct Payments from local councils available to carers to enable them to purchase carers services themselves 1 ;
	Increasing the CA earnings limit increased from 50 to 75 a week in 2001, linking future annual increases to the rise in the National Insurance lower earnings limit, and increasing the carer premium by 10 a week above normal uprating;
	1 Resources for social services increased by 20 per cent. in real terms between 199697 and 200003, an average real terms increase of 3 per cent. a year. In 200102, local councils provided help to over 140,000 carers through the adults service and to some 52,000 people (including young carers) through the children's service.
	Abolishing the upper age limit on claims to CA in 2002, so that carers aged 65 and over can claim the allowance 2 ;
	Extending, in 2002, the entitlement to CA by up to eight weeks after death of disabled person being cared for, and from this year, requiring local councils to make direct payments to carers who have an assessed need and are able to manage them (alone or with assistance), and giving them discretionary powers to support flexibility in provision of short breaks for carers through the short term breaks voucher scheme.
	Carers can find out about the support and benefits available to them through various routes: on-line services such as UK Online, or the Government DWP and carers websites; by telephone via benefits helplines, NHS Direct, carers centres, Carers UK helpline; and booklets/leaflets published by the Government or voluntary sector.
	2 Overlapping benefit rules apply. Measure benefits carers without state retirement pension, or on a low rate of state retirement pension. Carers on low income have access to carer premium in the income related benefits.

Council Tax Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in (a) England and (b) London were affected by council tax benefit restrictions in each year since 1998; and what his estimate is of (i) the savings to the Exchequer in each year consequent upon these restrictions and (ii) the average cost to those households affected.

Malcolm Wicks: Council Tax Benefit restrictions were introduced on 1 April 1998. Anyone receiving Council Tax Benefit on 31 March 1998 was entitled to transitional protection and was not subject to restrictions. Information on those cases where restrictions apply was not collected before 1999.
	The available information is in the following tables.
	
		Households where Council Tax Benefit is restricted to Band E in England and London at May 2000 and 2001
		
			 Year England London 
		
		
			 May 1999 15,000 7,000 
			 May 2000 16,000 9,000 
			 May 2001 17,000 9,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. The data refer to households claiming Council Tax Benefit which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one household can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share arrangement.
	3. The totals include estimates for local authorities that have not responded. These estimates are based on historical and regional data. This type of estimate is standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents.
	4. The figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
	5. Totals exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 1999, 2000 and 2001.
	
		Estimated annual savings from Council Tax Benefit restrictions, and estimated average weekly cost to benefit household in England and London
		
			  England London 
			 Year Savings () Averageweekly cost per household () Savings () Averageweekly cost per household () 
		
		
			 19992000 3.500,000 4.25 1.500,000 4.00 
			 200001 4.000,000 4.50 2.000,000 4.50 
			 200102 4.500,000 5.00 2.500,000 5.00 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The Average costs refer to households claiming Council Tax Benefit which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one household can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share arrangement.
	2. Savings figures are rounded to the nearest 500,000.
	3. Average restriction figures are rounded to nearest 25p.

Child Support Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average child support maintenance payment received by the parent with care is for (a) one, (b) two and (c) three or more qualifying children, for new claims processed under the new Child Support Agency formula.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Mr. Doug Smith to Mr. Webb, dated 22 May 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask what the average child support maintenance payment received by the parent with care is for (a) one (b) two and (c) three or more qualifying children for new claims processed under the new Child Support Agency formula.
	I will be providing the Secretary of State with a full set of information after the first quarter of the Agency's business year. The Secretary of State intends to report this information to the House.

Child Support Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average child support maintenance assessment is for (a) all, (b) employed and (c) unemployed non-resident parents for (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three or more qualifying children, for new claims processed under the new Child Support Agency formula.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member
	Letter from Mr. Doug Smith to Mr. Webb dated 22 May 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask what the average child support maintenance assessment is for (a) all (b) employed and (c) unemployed non-resident parents for (i) one (ii) two and (iii) three or more qualifying children for new claims processed under the new Child Support Agency formula.
	I will be providing the Secretary of State with a full set of information after the first quarter of the Agency's business year. The Secretary of State intends to report this information to the House.

Child Support Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new applications for child maintenance assessments have been received by the Child Support Agency since 3 March; and how many have been cleared.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Mr. Doug Smith to Mr. Webb, dated 22 May 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask how many new applications for child maintenance assessments have been received by the Child Support Agency since 3rd March; and how many have been cleared.
	I will be providing the Secretary of State with a full set of information after the first quarter of the Agency's business year. The Secretary of State intends to report this information to the House.

Disability Discrimination Act

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what guidance is being given to service providers regarding their obligations under Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what guidance is being given to (a) owners of listed buildings and (b) local authorities regarding the entry into force of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has published a statutory Code of Practice on rights of access to goods, facilities, services and premises for disabled people. This Code explains the law and provides practical guidance for all service providers, including local authorities, on their current duties and those that will come into force in 2004.
	The DRC also publishes a range of guidance leaflets focusing on specific types of service provision, and provides information and advice on all aspects of the DDA free of charge, via the Commission's Helpline.
	For service providers in listed buildings, English Heritage has produced 'The Easy Access Guide', a revised version of which is due to be published later this year.
	The Department is also undertaking a range of activity to raise awareness of the DDA, particularly among small and medium-sized businesses. This includes a series of regional awareness days, supported by radio advertising, to raise the profile of the DDA and wider disability issues. In addition, on 15 May, I launched a video entitled 'Act Now' which provides information about the responsibilities of business and the 'Access All Areas Awards' which aim to recognise small organisations that have made imaginative changes to the way they provide services to disabled people.

Disability Living Allowance

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that support is available for people suffering from mental illness to enable them to fill in application forms for disability living allowance.

Maria Eagle: The Disability and Carers Service have a wide range of support services available for people who may need assistance in claiming disability living allowance or attendance allowance, because of a particular illness or disability such as mental health problems. We will provide a form completion service, on request, in a format best suited to the customer's individual needs. This may be over the telephone where a trained adviser will talk the customer carefully through the claims process; in person, by appointment, at one of the Department's customer outlets; or exceptionally, a home visit pan be arranged. Additionally, we provide benefit information and advice to external customer organisations that provide an external source of help and support to people with an illness or disability.

Executive Agencies

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  who the Chief Executive Officer of the Employment Service Agency is;
	(2)  who the Chief Executive Officer of the Benefits Agency is.

Nick Brown: The Benefits Agency and Employment Service ceased to exist in March 2002. They were replaced by our two new agencies: Jobcentre Plus, for people of working age, and the Pension Service.
	Alexis Cleveland is the chief executive of the Pension Service and Clare Dodgson is currently acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus. We have recently announced the appointment of David Anderson as the new chief executive of Jobcentre Plus and he will take up post from 2 June.

European Year of the Disabled Citizen

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to list the measures his Department has taken to highlight the European Year of the Disabled Citizen; what projects have been undertaken; what funding has been given to each project; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: We held high profile launch events across the UK in January 2003 and announced our intention to publish a draft disability Bill later this year. We are funding 171 local and regional projects to highlight the UK theme for the European Year, Promoting Rights and Participation. A list has been placed in the Library.
	An EU Bus promoting the European Year will tour the UK during June 2003 and will provide a focal point for a range of further activities. We are also running media campaigns to support the European Year and raise awareness about disability rights.

Inactivity Rates

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people of working age were economically inactive in each year since 1997; how many of these were claiming (a) welfare benefits, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) other disability benefits and (d) income support; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people of working age who were economically inactive and claiming income support were lone parents in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the following table.
	
		Numbers of working-age adults in the United Kingdom who were inactive from 1997 to 2002 by Labour Force Survey spring quarters (March to May each year) -- Thousands (seasonally adjusted)
		
			 March to May Number 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1997 7,588 
			 1998 7,675 
			 1999 7,560 
			 2000 7,502 
			 2001 7,675 
			 2002 7,707 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data are seasonally adjusted, and interim adjustments have been made to the data to take into account 2001 census results.
	2. Statistically robust information is not available on the number of people of working age who were economically inactive and claiming benefit.
	Source:
	ONS publicationLabour Market Trends May 2003 Table D2

Jobcentre (Sutton)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were (a) on the NOMIS register and (b) non-claimants of jobseeker's allowance, but users of the Jobcentre Service at Sutton Jobcentre in each of the last three years.

Nick Brown: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, Clare Dodgson. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Clare Dodgson to Mr. Burstow, dated 22 May 2003
	As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question about users of Sutton Jobcentre in each of the last three years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of the Agency.
	The number of people registered at Sutton Jobcentre, as shown by NOMIS, in March for the last three years was as follows:
	
		
			  Number of people registered 
		
		
			 2001 1,491 
			 2002 1,732 
			 2003 1,950 
		
	
	It is not possible to give a figure for the number of non-claimants of jobseekers allowance who use Sutton Jobcentre. Records are not kept of the number of people who make enquiries or who receive help with general employment advice through the Jobcentre. Statistics are kept for the number of job submissions made for non-claimants of jobseeker's allowance but, as an individual may be submitted for a number of different jobs, this is not a reliable guide for the number of these people using our services.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to ensure that Jobcentre Plus remains in the public sector; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Jobcentre Plus is committed to providing services in accordance with the principles of public service reform, set out in Reforming our public services: Principles into practice. The four key principles are standards and accountability; devolution and delegation; flexibility and incentives; and expanding choice. Jobcentre Plus is committed to putting the customer first by using the private sector where appropriate, such as to expand choice or to drive up the standard of performance.
	Jobcentre Plus already makes considerable use of the private and voluntary sectors in delivering services to jobless people. This gives a much wider range of provision to choose from, helping to match services more closely with individual customer's needs. We expect Jobcentre Plus to continue to involve the private and voluntary sectors in delivering elements of its current and future programmes where they can help improve the service we deliver.

Jobcentre Plus

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) of 6 May 2003, Official Report, column 555W, on Jobcentre staff, what effect across the UK the workforce efficiency plans will have on the level of staffing; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, Clare Dodgson. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Clare Dodgson to Paul Holmes, dated 22 May 2003
	As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the effect our workforce efficiency plans will have on our level of staffing. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of the Agency.
	As part of the last spending review, the Government has agreed to a major investment plan for the department including over 2 billion for rolling out of Jobcentre Plus. A significant part of this investment will mean better technology, improved training and modernised business processes. As a result we will, over time, need fewer staff to provide enhanced services to our customers.
	Jobcentre Plus plans to reduce its staff numbers to 76,600 by March 2006, equivalent to a 3.5 per cent. reduction over three years.
	While the precise impact will be different in different parts of the country and there may be areas of greater difficulty, the planned reductions in staffing will be carefully managed and are within our overall margins of staff turnover. We expect therefore to manage this reduction by moving staff to other parts of the Department for Work and Pensions or through natural wastage.
	I hope this is helpful.

Medical Assessments

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that doctors carrying out independent medical assessments of mentally ill people applying for benefits have specialist psychiatric experience and qualifications.

Nick Brown: The role of doctors carrying out assessments of people applying for benefits is to assess the functional effects of a condition, whether physical or mental, on the claimant. All doctors carrying out assessments of people applying for benefits receive specialist training as medical disability analysts.
	Training and guidance for these doctors on the assessment of people with mental health problems have been developed by Medical Services in collaboration with experts in psychiatry.

National Insurance (Married Women)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 24 March 2003, Official Report, columns 10506W, on National Insurance (Married Women), in which years the special insert regarding Home Responsibilities Protection was placed in child benefit order books.

Malcolm Wicks: The special insert regarding Home Responsibilities Protection directed at married women paying reduced rate National Insurance contributions was placed in child benefit order books in 1979. Inserts have a short-term lifethe life of the order book. They are intended to draw attention to important information at a particular time in this case that married women who had chosen to pay reduced rate contributions could not qualify for Home Responsibilities Protection and might wish to reconsider their choice. However, information about HRP continued to feature in the order book notes.

Pension Credit

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proposals he has to facilitate the payment of the pension credit through post offices; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: All customers who wish to continue to collect their benefit or pension in cash at the Post Office need to choose one of the account options that can be accessed at post offices.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is providing customers with information, including letters and leaflets, which clearly sets out the account options as part of the move to payment direct into accounts. This information material sets out the key features of the various accounts and explains how people can access their money at the Post Office, if they wish to do so. Customers can choose the account which best suits their needs and circumstances.
	These options will apply to new customers and benefits as well as to those customers in receipt of existing benefits.

Pension Credit

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the number of persons eligible for the pension credit.

Maria Eagle: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given by the Minister for Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney) to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 1 April 2003, Official Report, columns 67677W.

Statutory Instruments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many statutory instruments have been issued by his Department in each year since 1992.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, columns 38485W.

Working-age Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what analysis he has undertaken of the rate of offload from each of the working age benefits; and how this rate differs for different areas of the country.

Malcolm Wicks: Most analysis of benefit off-flow is undertaken internally by way of extracts from the benefit computer systems which look at the rate of off-flow at Great Britain level. This is used for forecasting, policy analysis and development purposes, and to monitor labour market developments. The main benefits covered by this analysis are Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance.
	Information on the numbers of people flowing off each key working age benefit by Government Office Region has been placed in the Library. This information is not available for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.

HEALTH

Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total expenditure on advertising by the Department was in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203; and what the level of planned expenditure is for (i) 200304 and (ii) 200405.

David Lammy: The Department of Health's expenditure on advertising in 200102 and 200203 was 20.405 million and 21.794 million respectively.
	Budgets for 200304 and 200405 have yet to be finalised.

Asbestos

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what relative priority his Department has placed on (a) treatment and (b) research into treatment for cancer patients whose condition has been caused by exposure to asbestos;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people in the UK likely to die from cancers caused by exposure to asbestos over the next 20 years;
	(3)  what action he is taking to ensure that cancer patients whose condition has been caused by exposure to asbestos receive proper and sufficient medical attention;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the new treatments available in countries other than the UK to cancer patients whose condition has been caused by exposure to asbestos.

Hazel Blears: At present, around 4,000 people die each year in the United Kingdom from asbestos related disease (ARD); approximately 1,600 from mesothelioma and most of the rest from lung cancer related to asbestos exposure.
	Mesothelioma is expected to increase in frequency over the next 20 years. Based on prediction models, the number of male mesothelioma deaths is expected to peak at around 1,700 in 2011 with female mesothelioma deaths peaking at around 240 around the same time.
	Preventing exposure to asbestos is the most effective way of tackling asbestos related disease. We are taking action on this.
	There are a number of clinical trials relating to the treatment of mesothelioma in progress. The national health service is currently providing infrastructure and service support costs for two mesothelioma trials currently underway through the National Cancer Research Network.
	We are keeping a close eye on these trials to determine when the development of clinical guidelines on mesothelioma might be appropriate. Such guidelines would take account of worldwide evidence on the treatment and management of this disease.
	We are also taking action to improve services for lung cancer patients. 5,000 patients are now able to benefit from the new generation cancer drugs approved by National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of lung cancer are also being developed by NICE and are due for publication next year. 98.2 per cent. of patients with suspected lung cancer are now seen by a specialist within two weeks of being urgently referred by their general practitioner.
	The NHS Cancer Plan set out the first ever comprehensive strategy to tackle cancer from prevention through to palliative care. The Cancer Plan is being supported by unprecedented levels of funding. All cancer patients, including those with mesothelioma and lung cancer, should benefit from the implementation of this plan.

Asthma

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on regional variations in the incidence of (a) childhood allergies and (b) asthma;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the number of children diagnosed with (a) allergies and (b) asthma in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) other European Union member states.

Jacqui Smith: That information is not available centrally as many child cases of asthma and allergies are diagnosed via out-patient and general practitioner practices. However the following table shows the number of finished consultant episodes for asthma and other allergies for 200102 in England for people up to 17 years.
	Additionally we do not hold centrally information relating to the numbers of children suffering asthma in the European Union.
	
		Primary diagnosis asthma and other allergies, age on admission 017 yearsNHS hospitals, England by region of treatment, 200102
		
			   Asthma Other allergy 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Y01 Northern and Yorkshire regional 3,603 397 
			 Y02 Trent regional office 2,253 374 
			 Y07 West Midlands regional office 2,686 924 
			 Y08 North West regional office 4,862 613 
			 Y09 Eastern regional office 2,497 130 
			 Y10 London regional office 3,735 612 
			 Y11 South East regional office 3,493 225 
			 Y12 South West regional office 2,271 281 
			  England 25,400 3,556

Autism

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases of autism were reported in each year from 1990 to 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Details of the number of children diagnosed with autism since 1990 are not available. In December 2001 the Medical Research Council (MRC) published a comprehensive review of autism research, which provides an authoritative overview of the current state of knowledge on the prevalence, incidence and causes of autism. The report was commissioned by the Department of Health and produced with the help of a wide range of experts and a lay group including parents and representatives of autism charities. It is available on the MRC website at www.mrc.ac.uk.
	The report says that according to recent reviews, there appears fairly good agreement that autism spectrum disorders affect approximately 60, and more narrowly defined autism 1030, per 10,000 children under eight.
	In February 2002 we allocated a further 2.5 million to the MRC to help them to take forward their programme of work on autism. The MRC is currently holding a series of scientific workshops on autism with a view to stimulating additional high quality research proposals. One of these, held on 30 April this year, was on autism in populations.

Cancer Services

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) consultants, (b) staff grade nurses, (c) play therapists and (d) outreach nurses work in children's cancer services in each regional cancer centre;
	(2)  how many (a) consultants, (b) play therapists, (c) staff grade nurses and (d) outreach domiciliary nurses for children's cancer services are based at (i) Royal Victoria Infirmary Newcastle, (ii) Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, (iii) Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Birmingham, (iv) Wythenshawe Hospital Manchester, (v) Bristol Children's Hospital, (vi) Cookridge Hospital Leeds, (vii) St James University Hospital Leeds, (viii) John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford, (ix) Manchester City Hospital and (x) Leicestershire and Rutland Health Care Trust.

Hazel Blears: Data on the numbers of consultants, staff grade nurses, play therapists and outreach domiciliary nurses are not collected centrally at a sub-speciality level such as children's cancer.

Cancer Services

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) children's cancer play therapists, (b) outreach staff grade paediatric cancer nurses and (c) paediatric cancer consultants are (i) fully funded by the NHS and (ii) part-funded by the NHS in partnership with a voluntary organisation;
	(2)  what percentage of funding for posts dedicated to children's cancer services is provided by (a) the NHS and (b) charities and the voluntary sector;
	(3)  how many charities and voluntary sector organisations (a) fully and (b) partly fund (i) a consultant, (ii) a staff grade nurse, (iii) a play therapist and (iv) an outreach domiciliary nurse for children's cancer services in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will list those organisations;
	(4)  which (a) charities and (b) voluntary sector organisations providing posts in children's cancer services receive (i) part funding and (ii) full funding from the NHS; and how much funding they receive.

Hazel Blears: The Department does not collect details of funding and staff posts for children's cancer services in the national health service provided by the voluntary and community sector, nor details of posts funded by the NHS.

Cancer Services

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the partnership between the voluntary sector and the NHS in children's cancer services.

Hazel Blears: The Department and the national health service have a long and established history of working with the voluntary and community sector on the development of health and social care policy and service delivery. We will continue to develop and strengthen these partnership arrangements to help ensure healthcare service provision is in line with the health needs of the population including the particular needs of children with cancer.

Cancer Services

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total funding by the NHS for children's cancer services was in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: Resources for cancer services over the last five years have been included in baseline allocations, the last three of which have been hypothecated. Because of the number of diagnostic and treatment episodes patients undergo during their illness it is not possible to identify how much of this funding was spent on a particular type of cancer.

Care Direct

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on (a) the Care Direct pilots and (b) the future of this scheme.

Jacqui Smith: The Government announced in their Manifesto, the intention to build on Care Direct to develop a Third Age Service. In light of this commitment, the Government has taken the decision not to extend Care Direct beyond the first six pilot sites, but to concentrate instead on developing the Third Age Service, for which the Department for Work and Pensions has lead responsibility.
	Care Direct will continue in the six councils in the South West until March 2004, where it will provide a basis for the development of an operational model for the Third Age Service.

Catchment Areas (Liverpool)

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the catchment area is for patients for (a) Royal Liverpool University Hospital, (b) Royal Aintree Hospital, Liverpool, (c) Women's Hospital, Liverpool, (d) Cardiothoracic Centre, Liverpool, (e) Alderley Hospital Trust, Liverpool and (f) the Neurological Unit, Walton.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 6 May 2003
	The information requested has been provided in the table.
	
		Analysis of Specified NHS Trusts and the Local PCT Populations
		
			 NHS Trust Local PCTs PCT Population Aggregate PCT Population 
		
		
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University NHS Trust Central Liverpool 346,119 604,587  
			  North Liverpool 146,550  
			  South Liverpool 111,918  
			 University Hospital Aintree Knowsley 207,934  
			  South Sefton 180,226 508,508 
			  Southport and Formby 120,348  
		
	
	
		
			 NHS Trust Strategic Health Authority Population 
		
		
			 Royal Liverpool Children's Trust 2,611,001 
			 Cardiothoracic Centre NHS Trust  
			 Liverpool Women's Hospital NHS Trust  
			 Walton Centre for Neurology NHS Trust  
		
	
	Notes:(i) There will be significant numbers of patients referred from the PCTs identified above to other healthcare providers; (ii) The Trusts (acute and specialist) identified above will provide healthcare to a number ofother commissioners, and this will not be restricted to England; (iii) Specialist Trusts provide a very limited range of services across the Strategic Health Authority; and (iv) Due to the above it is not possible to calculate catchment populations in the format requested.Source:Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority

Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many car parking spaces the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority (a) has within premises owned by them and (b) rents or leases from other organisations; and at what cost per year.

Jacqui Smith: Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority leases its accommodation at Wilderspool Park, Stockton Heath. Under the lease it has access to 96 car parking spaces including parking for visitors. The cost of these spaces is part of the overall lease cost for the accommodation and is not separately identified.
	SHA staff based at Hamilton House in Liverpool have access to 18 spaces at an annual cost of 26,031.20.

Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many meetings the chief executive of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has had with the leaders of local authorities since her appointment; and which local authorities were involved;
	(2)  how many meetings the chair of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has had with the leaders of local authorities since her appointment; and with which local authorities;
	(3)  how many meetings the chair of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has had with chief executives of local authorities since her appointment; and which local authorities were involved.

Jacqui Smith: The principal relationship with local authorities (LAs) is with primary care trusts. However the chair and chief executive of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority (CMSHA) welcome the opportunity to meet with officers of LAs to discuss issues of interest or concern and do meet with them from time to time on an on-going basis. According to records held by the CMSHA, the chief executive has met with senior officers of LAs on four occasions in the past year. The LAs were Warrington Borough Council, Chester County Council, Liverpool City Council and Wirral Borough Council. The chief executive has also met with senior officers of Social Services North West and the Social Services Inspectorate.

Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings the chief executive of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has had with individual chairs of trusts since her appointment.

Jacqui Smith: The chief executive has regular meetings, in addition to telephone contact with national health service trust senior officers, including trust chairs on an on-going basis. According to records held by the strategic health authority, the chief executive has met with trust chairs on an individual basis on 14 occasions and on a group basis on 39 occasions since her appointment.

Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings the chief executive of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has had with public bodies other than health bodies in the past year.

Jacqui Smith: According to its records, the chief executive of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority met with chief executives of non-health public bodies on 15 occasions in the past year.

Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many board meetings the chair of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has presided over since her appointment; and what the average length was of such meetings.

Jacqui Smith: There have been 10 board meetings since 1 April 2002, and the chair of the strategic health authority has chaired nine of these. The meetings usually last between two and two and half hours.

Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings the chief executive of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has had with individual hon. Members since her appointment; and what the average duration was of such meetings.

Jacqui Smith: The chief executive of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority met collectively with 17 hon. Members on 29 October 2002 and with three hon. Members on 16 May 2003. The chief executive has also met with 16 hon. Members on an individual basis over the past year. The average duration of these meetings was one hour.

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many recommendations by Lord Laming in his report on Victoria Climbi shown as achievable within three months have been initiated; which have not been initiated; and for what reason.

Jacqui Smith: There are 46 recommendations in the Victoria Climbi Inquiry report which are viewed by Lord Laming as being achievable within three months. Thirty-eight of these were included in the checklist of good practice recommendations sent to police, health and social services by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 28 January 2003. A copy of this list is available in the Library. These were also included in the self-audit tools which were issued subsequently by the Commission for Health Improvement and the Social Services Inspectorate. The remaining eight recommendations will be covered in our substantive response to the report, to be published shortly as part of the Green Paper on Children at Risk.

Dietary Salt

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has evaluated on possible links between high levels of salt in pre-prepared food and heart disease in children under 10.

Hazel Blears: A Sub-Group of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), an independent United Kingdom-wide advisory committee set up to advise both the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency, recently considered the effects of salt on health, in both children and adults.
	The SACN report on Salt and Health (2003) concluded that,
	Further research is needed to assess the level of salt in children's diets, which may influence blood pressure [a risk factor for heart disease] independently of other factors. Nevertheless it would be inadvisable for children in the UK to become accustomed to the levels of salt intake currently habitual for adults as the evidence suggests long-term consumption of such amounts being potentially harmful in adult life.
	The SACN therefore made recommendations for daily target average salt intakes in children.

Cretzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Gavin Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases of (a) sporadic CJD and (b) variant CJD there were in the UK in (i) each quarter and (ii) each year from 1990 to the latest available date.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the tables. The data for vCJD is only from 1996 when the disease was identified.
	
		Deaths from sporadic CJD in the UK
		
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Total 
		
		
			 1990 9 10 6 3 28 
			 1991 7 8 9 8 32 
			 1992 12 8 14 11 45 
			 1993 10 11 5 11 37 
			 1994 11 12 12 18 53 
			 1995 11 8 12 4 35 
			 1996 10 12 10 8 40 
			 1997 14 14 16 15 59 
			 1998 11 17 15 20 63 
			 1999 10 20 20 12 62 
			 2000 11 14 10 14 49 
			 2001 13 8 21 13 55 
			 2002 10 16 17 25 68 
			 2003 11 5(3)   16 
		
	
	(3) to 21 May 2003
	
		Deaths from variant CJD in the UK
		
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Total 
		
		
			 1995 0 1 0 2 3 
			 1996 5 3 1 1 10 
			 1997 4 3 1 2 10 
			 1998 2 2 2 12 18 
			 1999 4 1 4 6 15 
			 2000 6 8 10 4 28 
			 2001 6 7 4 3 20 
			 2002 7 5 1 4 17 
			 2003 5 (4)4   9 
		
	
	(4) to 21 May 2003

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to reply to the letter dated 14 April from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. N. Thorpe.

Alan Milburn: A reply was sent to my right hon. Friend on 23 May.

Darent Valley Hospital

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals there are to enlarge (a) the acute bed sector and (b) day care places at Darent Valley hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Department announced plans for a new diagnostic and treatment centre at Dartford and Gravesham National Health Service Trust in December 2002. This new centre will provide 40 additional beds and deliver significant improvement in patient access. The trust has also secured capital modernisation funding which will be used to strengthen their day surgery capacity.

Drinking Water

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the Medical Research Council has made in its programme of work in relation to research into the fluoridation of drinking water.

Hazel Blears: Last September, a working group appointed by the Medical Research Council (MRC) published a report that we had commissioned prioritising the research required to strengthen the evidence base on the fluoridation of water. We have already acted on the MRC's first priority by commissioning a comparison study of the fluoride absorbed from naturally and artificially fluoridated water. We have asked the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Dental Officer for further advice on both the remainder of the MRC's recommendation and how the success of existing fluoridation schemes in improving oral health might be extended to other communities who wish it.

Drug Addiction Treatment

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are being monitored for treatment for (a) drug addiction and (b) heroin addiction in the National Treatment Outcome Survey.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 16 May 2003
	Between March-July 1995, 1,075 clients were recruited by 54 participating treatment programmes. These individuals presented with extensive, chronic and serious problems related to the use of drugs and alcohol. The most common drug problem was long-term opiate dependence, often in conjunction with polydrug and/or alcohol problems. Many clients had psychological and physical health problems, and high rates of criminal behaviour were reported.

Elder Abuse

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the lack of a statutory obligation on private care homes to protect older people from abuses under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Jacqui Smith: A person in need of residential care is entitled to an assessment of their needs by the local authority. The local authority must then go on to decide whether it will provide the necessary services. If the authority decides to provide services it will then go on to arrange these services, probably through a private provider. The local authority nonetheless retains a role and remains responsible for ensuring that the person is receiving the services he needs and for ensuring that the private provider is providing the services contracted for. As caselaw makes clear, in exercising its duties in respect of a person, the local authority remains accountable under the Human Rights Act 1998.
	The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) also has an important role in ensuring the welfare of older people in care homes. The NCSC is responsible for regulating all care homes in England in accordance with statutory regulations and national minimum standards. The standards are designed to ensure that poor standards in care homes are a thing of the past and to tackle the problems of abuse and neglect that sadly still exists in some care homes today.

Energy Efficiency

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets he has set for improving energy efficiency; and what steps he is taking to achieve these targets.

Hazel Blears: The Department has adopted the target, as published by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the Sustainable Development in Government: First Annual Report 2002, for the reduction of greenhouse emissions to air by 1 per cent. per annum.
	The Department's achievements are published within that report.

Enuresis

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the impact of enuresis on the welfare of a child with the condition.

Jacqui Smith: There are a number of factors which impact on the welfare of a child with this condition and a well-documented association between enuresis and psychiatric disorder in community samples of children, although over half of enuretic children have no psychiatric disorder.
	Common childhood conditions will be considered under the forthcoming national service framework for children, young people and maternity services, which is currently developing national standards. The standards are likely to cover support which should be available to children and their parents in managing a wide range of conditions and problems, including enuresis. This will emphasise the promotion of evidence based clinical guidelines and a number of examples of good practice in a range of different areas.

Fostering

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the report following the monitoring exercise by the Social Services Inspectorate of local authority enforcement of private fostering regulations in 200001.

Jacqui Smith: A copy of the Social Services Inspectorate report By Private Arrangement; Inspection of Arrangements for Supervising Children in Private Foster Care has been placed in the Library.

Fuel Poverty

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the amount spent in each year since 1997 on the Keep Warm Keep Well campaign; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the amount spent on the advice line and campaign literature to promote the Keep Warm Keep Well campaign is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Amount () 
		
		
			 199798 427,010 
			 199899 380,922 
			 19992000 291,053 
			 200001 (5)592,000 
			 200102 447,779 
			 200203 382,237 
		
	
	(5) This figure included the launch of the new advice line and campaign literature.

General Practitioners

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescribing GPs are commissioned through or in co-operation with DAATs in each DAAT area.

Hazel Blears: This information is not available centrally. It is the responsibility of primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission prescribing general practitioners. Each PCT, in consultation with their drug action team partners, must decide how many prescribing GPs are required to be commissioned based on the needs of the local community.

Health Services (Leeds)

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses (a) the Leeds Acute Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) its predecessor acute trusts employed in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as at 30 September in each specified year
		
			 Leeds Teaching HospitalsNHS Trust 1995(6) 1996(6) 1997(6) 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Whole-time equivalent 3,515 3,531 3,700 3,592 3,552 3,722 3,845 
			 Headcount 4,179 4,181 4,390 4,383 4,304 4,461 4,471 
		
	
	(6) In 1998 St. James and Seacroft University Hospitals Trust merged with United Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to form Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
	Note
	Figures are rounded to the nearest whole-number
	Source
	Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census.
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Dissemination and Analysis

Health Services (Leeds)

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors, broken down by specialty, (a) the Leeds Acute Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) its predecessor acute trusts employed in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Health Services (Leeds)

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding (a) the Leeds PCTs and (b) their predecessor Leeds health authority received in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: Revenue allocations to Leeds primary care trusts and their predecessor Leeds health authority are shown in the tables.
	
		Leeds Health Authority -- 000
		
			 Period Allocation 
		
		
			 199697 310,435 
			 199798 322,368 
			 199899 339,927 
			 19992000 469,356 
			 200001 516,653 
			 200102 559,240 
			 200203 623,153 
		
	
	
		Leeds PCTs -- 000
		
			  Allocation 
			 Period East Leeds PCT Leeds North East PCT Leeds North West PCT Leeds West PCT South Leeds PCT 
		
		
			  
			  
			 200304 151,983 135,571 145,162 104,159 137,550 
			 200405 165,586 147,704 158,271 113,481 150,173 
			 200506 179,743 160,333 172,126 123,183 163,518 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health NHS Revenue Resource Allocation Operations

Health Services (Leeds)

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding (a) the Leeds Acute Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) its predecessor acute trusts received in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: Funding for Leeds Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust is shown in the table.
	
		000
		
			  Total Income 
		
		
			 199596 360,152 
			 199697 377,338 
			 199798 410,305 
			 199899 432,071 
			 19992000 472,694 
			 200001 504,292 
			 200102 550,749 
		
	
	Source:
	Figures from Department of Health Finance and Investment DirectorateAccounting.

Healthy Eating

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to promote healthy eating among children.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 14 May 2003
	The Government is delivering a range of programmes and activities in line with policy commitments to promote healthy eating among children. Action includes the National School Fruit Scheme, the Food in Schools programme and the Healthy School programme. Local Five-A-Day initiatives aim to increase awareness of and access to fruit and vegetables and this will include work with children.
	The welfare foods programme is being reformed to use the resources more effectively to ensure children in poverty have access to a healthy diet. There are also on-going initiatives to increase breastfeeding as breastfed babies are less likely to become obese in childhood.
	Work is underway with the food industry to improve the overall balance of diet, including salt, fat and sugar in food, working with the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA is funding a review of aspects of the promotion of foods to children. Details of other initiatives by the FSA to promote the uptake of a healthy balanced diet in children are set out in the its Nutrition Action Plan.
	The food and health action plan will also pull together all the issues that influence what we eat and will address healthy eating at all stages of the life course. The plan will build on a comprehensive on-going programme of work already underway across Government on healthy eating.

Hepatitis C/HIV

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the UK are infected with (a) Hepatitis C and (b) HIV or AIDS.

Hazel Blears: The Health Protection Agency has estimated that:
	Around 0.4 per cent. of the general population in England (about 200,000 people) have chronic hepatitis C infection. Up to the end of 2001, a cumulative total of about 26,600 laboratory diagnosed infections had been reported, suggesting that the majority of those infected have not yet been diagnosed.
	There were 38,400 HIV-infected adults living in England at the end of 2001, including an estimated 11,500, 30 per cent., who were not aware they were infected.
	Information on hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS in Scotland and Wales is available from the devolved administrations. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland office.

Honours

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials in his Department have received honours; and how many honours are held by his officials, broken down by category of honour.

David Lammy: There are 33 officials currently in the Department who have honours. The breakdown is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Knight 2 
			 CB 4 
			 CBE 10 
			 OBE 7 
			 MBE 10

Hospital-acquired Infections

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has collated about the incidence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; and if he will make a statement on what steps the Government is taking to tackle MRSA.

Hazel Blears: Since April 2001 all acute trusts in England have had to report methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infections. Results for the first year of this scheme (April 2001 to March 2002) were published in the Communicable Disease Report Weekly on 20 June 2002 and are available on the Public Health Laboratory Service website www.phls.co.uk/publications/cdr/PDFfiles/2002/cdr2502.pdf. These data have enabled us to introduce an MRSA improvement score into the National Health Service performance management system this year to ensure that trusts investigate their MRSA levels.
	As part of implementing our strategy for combating infectious diseases Getting Ahead of the Curve a targeted action plan on healthcare associated infection is being developed.

Local Authority Grants

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what grants have been made by his Department to local authorities for 200304 in England broken down by local authority; and whether the grant is (a) ring fenced, (b) a specific formula grant, (c) within aggregate external finance and (d) outside aggregate external finance.

Jacqui Smith: The table shows the ring fenced and specific formula grants which have been announced by the Department of Health for 200304.
	
		 million
		
			 Grant Specific formula grant Ring fenced grant 
		
		
			 Preserved Rights 508.523  
			 Delayed Discharges 50.000  
			 Mental Health  133.500 
			 Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)  51.000 
			 AIDS Support  16.500 
			 Training Support Programme  56.500 
			
			 Secure Accommodation   
			 (capital)  6.228 
			 (revenue)  0.014 
			
			 Children's Services   
			 (revenue)  557.000 
			 (capital)  9.500 
			
			 Carers  100.000 
			 Deferred Payments  40.000 
			 Improving Information Management  25.000 
			 Care Direct  2.187 
			 Young People's Substance Misuse Planning  6.745 
			 Teenage Pregnancy Local Implementation  27.390 
			 Performance Fund  100.000 
			 Access and Systems Capacity  170.000 
			 National Training Strategy  24.884 
			 Human Resources Development Strategy  9.525 
		
	
	All grants paid to local authorities by the Department of Health are within aggregate external finance except for secure accommodation (capital), children's services (capital) and improving information management.
	Information on local authorities' grant allocations for access and systems capacity, carers, deferred payments, mental health, child and adult mental health service (CAMHS), performance fund, teenage pregnancy local implementation, training support, young people's substance misuse and Care Direct has been placed in the Library. In the case of mental health, CAMHS, performance fund and training support the full amount of grant available has not yet been allocated.
	Allocations for preserved rights, delayed discharges, AIDS support, secure accommodation, children's services, improving information management, national training strategy and human resources development strategy grants have yet to be finalised.
	The funding level for the residential allowance grant is still to be decided.

Health Service Commissioning (Local Authorities)

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding proposals for local authorities to undertake the commissioning of health services; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Care of older people has been identified as one of the themes for the work programme of the Innovation Forum, which brings together excellent councils and Government, to pioneer ways of delivering better public services for local communities. An initial proposal suggested reducing hospital admissions for older people through improved strategic commissioning of services by a council, on behalf of the local national health service and council. This will be taken forward in a few pilot areas as part of the work of the forum.

Medicines Control Agency

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many reports the Medicines Control Agency has received of suicides attributed to Seroxat in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many yellow card reports the Medicines Control Agency has received about Seroxat in each of the last three years;
	(3)  what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the under-reporting to the Medicines Control Agency of problems experienced by patients prescribed Seroxat;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the yellow card scheme; and if he will allow patients to send their observations to the Medicines Control Agency using the yellow card scheme.

Hazel Blears: The Yellow Card Scheme is recognised to be one of the best in the world in terms of the level of reporting, has a proven track record of identifying new drug safety hazards and enables the monitoring of all medicines, including Seroxat, in clinical use.
	The effectiveness of the Scheme is under continuous review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). From April 2003, the first phase of patient reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through the Yellow Card Scheme via NHS Direct was introduced. This will enable the first hand experiences of patients to be utilised in the identification and assessment of drug safety issues.
	Under-reporting of ADRs is an inherent feature of spontaneous reporting schemes. Although this means that data from the scheme have limited usefulness in terms of quantifying the frequency of an ADR, it does not detract from the ability of the scheme to identify new drug safety hazards. It has been estimated from various surveys that only 1015 per cent. of serious ADRs are reported through the Yellow Card Scheme, but the true extent of under-reporting is unknown and is likely to vary considerably between different drugs and different reactions.
	The effectiveness of the Yellow Card Scheme is reviewed regularly. CSM is updated twice monthly on the progress of the Yellow Card Scheme and the impact of new initiatives. Formal reviews of the scheme are carried out and presented to CSM annually. External reviews of the Yellow Card System were carried out in the 1980's by Grahame-Smith and earlier this year by the National Audit Office as part of their Value for Money study of the Medicines Controls Agency.
	The following table lists the number of reports of suspected ADRs received per year for the last three years through the Yellow Card Scheme for paroxetine (Seroxat) and the number of cases of suicide reported as suspected adverse drug reactions in association with paroxetine in this time.
	
		
			  Number of reports of suspected adverse reactions associated with paroxetine Number of cases of suicide reported as suspected adverse drug reactions in association with paroxetine 
		
		
			 2000 427 2 
			 2001 329 1 
			 2002 320 5 
		
	
	It is important to note that the suspected reactions are not necessarily caused by the drug and may relate to other factors such as other illnesses or other medicines taken concurrently. In addition the reporting of suspected ADRs is influenced by the seriousness of the ADRs, their ease of recognition, the extent of use of a particular drug, and may be stimulated by promotion and publicity.
	Paroxetine is one of a group of medicines called the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) which are used in the treatment of depressive illness and anxiety disorders. The possibility of a causal association between SSRIs and suicidal behaviour has been reviewed by the CSM on a number of occasions, most recently in 2001. CSM concluded that the current evidence is insufficient to confirm a causal association between SSRIs and suicidal behaviour and advised that the issue should be kept under review. Product information for prescribers and patients contains warnings that suicidal behaviour may increase in the early stages of treatment with any antidepressant, and that if this occurs, medical advice should be sought immediately.
	The CSM has convened an expert group to look again at all available data, including reports of suspected adverse reactions from patients.

Mental Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women in the UK suffer from depression; and what the treatment regimens are which are prescribed for these women.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health does not keep central records on the diagnosis of, or treatment provided to, those receiving mental health services, except in cases where an admission to hospital has occurred. However, information on the overall prevalence of mental ill health among adults living in private households is available from the Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk).
	A range of treatment, services and support is available for women and men suffering from depression, including social, therapeutic and creative activities; self-help; practical support; medication and psychological interventions.

Mental Health

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide additional support for members of ethnic minorities suffering from schizophrenia.

Jacqui Smith: The improvements set out in the NHS Plan, and in the national service framework for mental health services, are designed to help all people with severe mental illness. Continued investment in services will ensure that by 2004, all people with a severe mental illness will be able to access a crisis resolution team 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Also, all people who regularly disengage from services leading to frequent relapse will be in receipt of assertive outreach services by December 2003 and all young people who develop a severe mental illness will be in receipt of early intervention services by 2004. These services are designed to help individuals, irrespective of ethnicity, but have been shown to be particularly welcomed by black and minority ethnic communities.
	Services will also be assisted by comprehensive guidance for black and minority ethnic mental health services, which will be issued for consultation later this year. The National Institute for Mental Health has also set up a specific programme on black and minority ethnic mental health to assist services.
	By 2006 there will be 500 community development workers in black and minority ethnic health. These workers are there to help local minority ethnic groups engage with services and help to expand local capacity for dealing with mental health problems.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence published an appraisal on the use of atypical anti-psychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia in June 2002 and clinical guidelines on the management of schizophrenia in December 2002. It will be for local services and health professionals to consider the impact of current and future guidance.

National Treatment Agency

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the training (a) budget and (b) actual expenditure was for the National Treatment Agency in (i) 200203 and (ii) 200304.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 16 May 2003
	The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse's (NTA) actual spend on training in 200203 and proposed training budget in 200304, is shown in the table.
	
		
		
			  Actual Spend Budget Spend (proposed) 
			  200203 200304 
		
		
			 For NTA staff 34,000 30,000 
			 For the field (Workforce Planning) 725,000 660,000 
			 Total: 759,000 690,000

National Treatment Agency

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training budget there is through the National Treatment Agency for implementing models of care.

Hazel Blears: The National Treatment Agency (NTA) has centrally funded nine regional training and development events to date on models of care. These had a total of 1,050 participants and were highly rated on consumer satisfaction questionnaires.
	These events cost about 86,000, which is in addition to the 759,000 that the NTA spent on training in 200203. The NTA's overall proposed training budget for 200304 is 690,000.
	All the NTA's training and development initiatives from February are in line with models of care, and will reinforce its implementation as the proxy national service framework. We also now expect drug action teams to fund any local training initiatives that they identify their local work force as requiring.

Food Standards Agency

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 237W, on the Food Standards Agency, what the total pay costs incurred by the Food Standards Agency were in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) was established on 1 April 2000. The total staff costs, including the devolved offices but excluding the Meat Hygiene Service, were 17,921,000 in 200001 and 21,315,000 in 200102. Further details, including changes in staff numbers, are set out in FSA's annual report and accounts for the relevant financial year, which are available in the Library. It is too early to provide comparable information for 200203.

NHS Dentistry

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what interim measures he plans to introduce to maintain the number of dentists offering dentistry services on the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: We are legislating for far-reaching reform of national health service dental services to improve the service for dentists and patients. The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill proposes that each primary care trust be given a duty to provide, or secure the provision of, primary dental services in its area to the extent that it considers reasonable to do so and be given the financial resources to do this. Until this new framework is in place and to support primary care trusts in preparing for this, we plan to put in place a support team for NHS dentistry to develop interim measures of the kind referred to. The team will work closely with strategic health authorities and primary care trusts to identify which areas are most in need and to ensure that there is a rapid response to difficulties experienced by dentists working at the front-line of the NHS. New incentive directions will be made shortly to provide the necessary legal powers for PCTs to provide assistance and support to dentists, until the legislation now in Parliament provides the framework for trusts to commission NHS primary dental services themselves.
	Primary care trusts will be able to help dental practices in a number of ways, for example when they are threatened by difficulties over practice premises. They will also be able to pay to increase the total amount of time that a practice devotes to NHS general dental services. It is also planned to build on existing experience of personal dental services pilot contracting, to enable committed dentists to work in the NHS without having to use the statement of dental remuneration to earn fees for items of service. This so-called treadmill has been a major source of complaint from the profession and will be abolished by the legislation before the House.
	In addition to the above, the support team will help focus national plans on local challenges where workforce availability is the key issue. As well as investing in supporting dentists and existing dental premises as part of a programme to encourage maximum NHS participation by returners to the work force, new graduates and overseas dentists, the team will support work to reinforce the existing retention and returning scheme and to work with the existing international recruitment scheme to transfer its experience for recruitment of dentists internationally.

NHS Dentistry

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have access to dental treatment on the NHS in (a) Gloucester, (b) Gloucestershire, (c) Oxfordshire, (d) Wiltshire, (e) Somerset and (f) Worcestershire.

Hazel Blears: Information on the number of patients registered with a national health service dentist for general dental services in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Worcestershire as at 28 February 2003, is shown in the table.
	
		General dental services: Number of patients registered with a dentist at 28 February 2003 in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Worcestershire primary care trusts
		
			 Primary care trust Number of patients registered(7) with a dentist at 28 February 2003 (thousand) 
		
		
			 Somerset 637.7 
			 Gloucestershire(8) 319.8 
			 Wiltshire 260.4 
			 Oxfordshire 188.0 
			 Worcestershire 258.2 
		
	
	(7) The GDS registration period lasts for a 15 month period from the patients last attendance at the dentist.
	(8) Includes Gloucester
	Information on the number of patients treated under the personal dental services scheme in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Worcestershire PCT areas for the year ending March 2003, is shown in the table. The personal dental service does not require the patient to be registered before commencing treatment. Additionally unregistered patients can gain access to NHS treatment though dental access teams in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, and Somerset.
	
		Personal dental services: Number of patients treated(9), year ending March 2003pilots in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Worcestershire primary care trusts
		
			 Pilot Number of patients treated year ending March 2003 (thousand) PCTs in list covered by pilot 
		
		
			 Avon 7.3 Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol South and West 
			 Gloucestershire 9.9 Cheltenham and Tewkesbury, West Gloucestershire, Cotswold and Vale 
			 Oxfordshire 9.5 Cherwell Vale, North East Oxfordshire, Oxford City, South East Oxfordshire, South West Oxfordshire  
			 Somerset 4.8 Somerset Coast, Mendip, South Somerset, Taunton Deane 
			 Swindon 7.2 West Wiltshire, Swindon, Kennet and North Wiltshire 
			 Worcestershire 10.4 Wyre Forest, South Worcestershire 
		
	
	(9) Number of individual patients treated.

NHS Dentistry

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices accept new NHS patients in the constituencies of (a) Cleethorpes, (b) Grimsby, (c) Scunthorpe, (d) Brigg and Goole, (e) Gainsborough, (f) Louth and Horncastle and (g) Hull, West and Hessle.

Jacqui Smith: The number of dental practices accepting new national health service patients changes frequently. Up to date information about which dentists are accepting new NHS registrations is available from the relevant primary care trust (PCT).
	I recognise that access to NHS dentistry in Cleethorpes and the surrounding area can be difficult. It is the intention of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, introduced on 12 March, to better match the provision of primary dental services with local oral health needs through local commissioning of the service. This would enable local flexibility to be built into the system, allowing PCTs to address local access issues as they arise. It is anticipated that the availability of NHS dentistry will be more predictable under the new system.

Physical Activity

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what measures are being taken to promote physical activity at a cross-departmental level; and how plans to promote physical activity are co-ordinated between departments;
	(2)  what measures his Department is taking to promote the health benefits of physical activity; how these measures are being co-ordinated; and what the long-term strategy is for investment in health promoting physical activity programmes.

Hazel Blears: The Government recognises the importance of a strategic approach in order to increase rates of physical activity. The Department works closely with other Government Departments to ensure that policy initiatives on physical activity, sport and recreation, education and transport are co-ordinated and contribute to our shared goal of increasing access and rates of physical activity. This has been backed up by significant investment, including 581 million from the New Opportunities Fund for a physical education and sports programme, 459 million to transform physical education, school sport and club links over the next three years and 2.6 million for a new programme of local exercise action pilots, led by primary care trusts.
	The joint Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)/Strategy Unit Report 'Game Plan' set out a new target of 70 per cent., of the population to be active, half an hour's exercise five days a week, by 2020. In order to deliver this target a central Department of Health/DCMS-led Sport and Physical Activity Board (SPAB) is being set up, which will be responsible for strategic overview, planning and co-ordination and will report to a ministerial committee. As part of the communications strategy, work is under way to develop a physical activity communication message for both adults and children.
	At a national level, Ministers and government officials from the DCMS, the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health have regular meetings to ensure joint working and co-ordination on issues relating to physical activity and sport.
	At a regional level the positioning of regional directors of public health and their teams in the Government offices of the regions provides a very real opportunity to make connections across policy areas that will support increased physical activity.
	While locally, PCTs have a key responsibility for ensuring that a strategic approach is taken to increasing physical activity through their involvement in local strategic partnerships.

Physical Activity

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) funding and (b) funding as a percentage of departmental expenditure his Department allocated to measures to promote physical activity in the last year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: The Department of Health is committed to developing policies that provide people with the skills, information and support to make and sustain healthy lifestyle choices.
	Between April 2002 and March 2003 the Department of Health made available 710,000 to fund a physical activity programme to:
	develop and communicate the evidence base for physical activity
	support the delivery of planning and priorities framework targets and national service framework milestones
	work with other Government departments and stakeholders to enhance opportunities for physical activity
	It is not possible to express the expenditure on physical activity promotion as a percentage of the total Department of Health budget. The amount spent by primary care trusts on the promotion of physical activity from the devolved Department of Health budgets is not known.
	Feeding into all three strands of the programme and accounting for 450,000 of the funding allocation in 200203 are the Local Exercise Action Pilots.

Physical Activity

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost to the NHS is of conditions related to low levels of physical activity among the population.

Hazel Blears: Current projections estimate the cost of inactivity in England in the region of 325 million per year in direct healthcare costs as quoted in Chapter 2 of the joint the Department for Culture, Media and Sport/Strategy Unit Report Game Plan: a strategy for delivering Government's sport and physical activity objectives published in December 2002. This was assessed by considering the costs associated with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, stroke, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and osteoarthritis. Inactivity was defined as doing fewer than three occasions of moderate or vigorous activity in the last four weeks.
	If other factors are included such as lost earnings due to sickness and premature death then the overall figure has been calculated at approximately 2 billion per year.
	These estimates are based upon an assumption of relatively low levels of inactivity and a narrow range of diseases. If higher levels of inactivity and a wider range of diseases are assumed then estimates of the cost of inactivity to the National Health Service rise from 325 million to 1.7 billion per year or the equivalent of 5 per cent. of the annual budget.

Physical Activity

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which pilot schemes were selected under the Local Exercise Action Pilots programme; what the proposed timescale for the selection of schemes following the initial announcement of the LEAP programme was; and whether the selection process met the planned timeframe.

Hazel Blears: The following primary care trusts were selected to lead the nine local exercise action pilots (LEAPs):
	Durham Dales PCT;
	Hastings and St. Leonards PCT;
	Great Yarmouth PCT;
	North Kirklees PCT;
	Wandsworth PCT;
	Dudley, Beacon and Castle PCT;
	Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT;
	Nottingham City PCT; and
	West of Cornwall PCT.
	The LEAP Programme was announced by the then Minister for Public Health (Yvette Cooper) on 20 May 2002.
	September to October 2002PCTs in neighbourhood renewal fund areas were invited to submit 'expressions of interest' for the LEAP programme.
	November 200231 PCTs were asked to work up full applications by 10 January 2003.
	January 2003applications were assessed and rank ordered by regional panels who made their recommendations to the national management group.
	February 2003the management group met to review the regional recommendations.
	Following this meeting recommendations for the nine pilot sites were made, and I endorsed the nine proposed sites which were announced on 24 March 2003.

Physical Activity

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation has been made of measures by primary care trusts to promote physical activity with particular reference to recommendations contained in the National Service Frameworks.

Hazel Blears: Milestones 2 and 3 of Chapter 1 of the national service framework (NSF) for coronary heart disease (CHD) concern the delivery of local programmes of effective policies on reducing smoking, promoting healthy eating, increasing physical activity and reducing overweight and obesity.
	In April 2001, the Department of Health commissioned the Health Development Agency to undertake an analysis of local physical activity policies. The South East Public Health Observatory was contracted by the Department of Health to undertake a national survey of progress against Milestone 3 in March 2002.
	This research showed that the milestones have catalysed development of physical activity policies. However, these policies are of varying status and maturityranging from well established, new and emerging to those still being developed.
	The Commission for Health Improvement/Audit Commission joint national study into the implementation of the NSF for CHD is now under way. Jointly with the Audit Commission, CHI will undertake 26 local reviews of progress against the CHD NSF. The first local reviews started in April 2003, and are due to be completed in April 2004. The national overview will be prepared in the summer of 2004 and the final report is anticipated in the autumn.

Physical Activity

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of levels of physical activity among (a) adults and (b) children.

Hazel Blears: The most recent information about levels of physical activity among adults and children can be derived from the 1998 Health Survey for England. For adults aged 16 and over four types of activity are asked about in the survey: activity at work; in the home (housework, gardening); walks of 15 minutes or more and sports and exercise activities. For most activity types, survey informants were asked on how many days in the last four weeks they had participated in the activity for at least 15 minutes a time.
	Current guidelines recommend that adults should take part in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity, ideally on a daily basis. This may include the accumulation of shorter bouts of activity to meet the 30 minutes target. The table summarises participation in activity. The category High represents the level of activity that fulfils the current physical activity recommendations for adults. Among men over a third, 37 per cent, were in the High category while among women, a quarter were in this category.
	Further information about adult physical activity from the Health Survey will be available in the 2003 survey, the results from which will be available at the end of 2004.
	
		Summary of overall participation in physical activities, by sexAged 16 and over -- Per cent.
		
			  Summary activity level(10) 
			  Low Medium High 
		
		
			 1998
			 Men 35 28 37 
			 Women 41 34 25 
		
	
	(10) The summary activity level classification is as follows:Low activityUp to three occasions of moderate or vigorous activity of at least 30 minutes' duration in the last four weeks (less than once a week)Medium activityFour to 19 occasions of moderate or vigorous activity of at least 30 minutes' duration in the last four weeks (at least once, less than five days a week)High activity20 or more occasions of moderate or vigorous activity of at least 30 minutes' duration in the last four weeks (at least five days a week)Source:Health Survey for England 1998
	For children, the latest information available is from the 1997 survey. This looked at children's involvement in sports and exercise, active play, walking and, for age eight and above, work at home such as housework or cleaning a car. Recommended activity levels for children are 60 minutes moderate physical activity, seven days a week. The survey showed that overall, 55 per cent., of boys and 39 per cent., of girls achieved this level. Any activity carried out as part of the school curriculum is not included in these estimates. Further information about children's physical activity will be available from the 2002 Health Survey, which focused on children and young people, the results from which are due to be published at the end of the year.
	Information can also be derived from the Office for National Statistics UK 2000 Time Use Survey which measured the amount of time spent by the UK population (aged 8 and above) on various activities. The survey shows that four in five people did some type of physical activity in the four weeks before the survey and that they spend more time taking part in sports and other physical activities than watching it on TV, 16 minutes a day compared with four minutes a day.

Primary Care Trusts

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the salary paid to each primary care group chairman in the year up to October 2002.

John Hutton: holding answer 10 March 2003
	Only one primary care group remained in October 2002 for which the chair received annual remuneration of 15,548. Details of the levels of remuneration paid to the chairs of primary care trusts (PCTs) as at 1 April 2002 have been placed in the Library.
	I regret that, in answering a question from the hon. Member on Wednesday 29 January 2003, Official Report, column 901W, the average remuneration for PCT chairs in 200203 was incorrectly given as 12,600. The correct figure should have been 18,154.

Primary Care Trusts

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recommendations he issues to primary care trusts on the maximum number of heads of the population for (a) palliative care and (b) intermediate care beds; and what the average number is in each primary care trust areas around London.

Hazel Blears: A national survey undertaken by the National Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services in 1999 on behalf of the Department showed that the average number of beds per million population was 51. For the former London health region, the figure was 57. Though there are major variations between former health regions in the provision of specialist palliative care beds, the 50 million central budget for palliative care allocated will help tackle inequalities in access to specialist palliative care, and enable cancer networks to reach at least the national average.
	The table shows the number of intermediate care beds in the London area at 31 December 2002, the latest available figures, by strategic health authority (SHA). Data from primary care trusts is aggregated to SHA level when reporting to the Department of Health for performance management purposes.
	
		London DHSC
		
			 Strategic health authority Number of intermediate care beds31 December 2002 
		
		
			  
			  
			 North West London 109 
			 North Central London 292 
			 North East London 51 
			 South East London 105 
			 South West London 146 
			 Total 703

Public Health

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 May 2003, Official Report, column 320W, on public health, what the expected timetable is for the proposed review of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

Hazel Blears: A timetable has not been fixed for the review. The review will take account of the new emergency powers which it is proposed to provide through the Civil Contingencies Bill.

Public Health

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place to ensure that public health information available to individual member states of the European Union is circulated to all Members immediately after publication.

Hazel Blears: There is no routine procedure for making all public health information available. However, for communicable diseases, there is a European network to share information. In addition some public health information is freely accessible on European Union member states websites
	The Department of Health and its agencies make information available, where appropriate, both on websites and in communications with international bodies such as the European Commission and the World Health Organisation.

Residential Care Costs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the unit cost figures for residential care for each local authority area obtained by his Department as part of the data collection for the performance assessment framework in each of the last three years.

Jacqui Smith: The requested information has been placed in the Library.

Seroxat

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Medicines Control Agency about the drug Seroxat.

Hazel Blears: Since the marketing of Seroxat (paroxetine) in 1990, the Secretary of State for Health has been kept informed by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), and since 1 April 2003 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on matters relating to its safety. The MCA has sought the advice of the Government's independent expert scientific advisory body, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).
	In the last two months the Secretary of State for Health has been informed of the on-going action relating to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including Seroxat, in particular the convening of a CSM Expert Group to review the current available evidence on the safety of SSRIs, including patients reports submitted by MIND/Panorama; and the review of product information for all SSRIs to ensure that it provides necessary information to allow prescribers and patients to make informed decisions about appropriate treatment.

Seroxat

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidance has been or will be issued to GPs concerning the (a) use and (b) prescription of Seroxat.

Hazel Blears: Seroxat (paroxetine) is a member of a group of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Guidance on prescribing and use of Seroxat is provided in the authorised summary of product characteristics (SPC) for health professionals and patient information leaflet (PIL). These documents contain information on use of Seroxat, contraindications, warnings and possible adverse effects. Prescribing information is also included in the British National Formulary (BNF) which is sent by the Department of Health to doctors and pharmacists.
	Since Seroxat was first marketed in 1990, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Government's independent expert advisory committee, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) have kept the safety of Seroxat under close continuous review. A number of communications have been issued to health professionals on the SSRIs via the MHRA/CSM drug safety bulletin Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance. The most recent of these was an article focussing on the safety profile of the SSRIs in September 2000.
	A CSM expert subgroup has been convened to review available information on the safety of SSRIs, including patient reports, product information for Seroxat and the other SSRIs, with particular emphasis on supporting communications between healthcare professionals and patients.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the risk of SARS entering the UK via (a) airports and (b) seaports.

Hazel Blears: The combination of high levels of global travel and an infection with an incubation period of two to 10 days means that the United Kingdom will inevitably experience some cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in United Kingdom. The strategy therefore cannot be total exclusion, rather it is to diagnose early and minimise transmission from these cases within the UK.
	We have therefore taken the following measures to reduce the risk of SARS entering the UK by ports of entry:
	Issuing advice to travellers through our website which is reviewed daily
	distribution of leaflets via airlines to passengers returning from affected countries on signs/symptoms of SARS
	advice to airlines reminding them of how to handle any suspected cases and contacts in-flight
	following recommendation from the World Health Organisation that screening should be carried out before leaving a SARS affected country.

Statins

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable the Minister envisages for selling cholesterol lowering statins over the pharmacy counter; and how he will seek to prevent inequalities arising between those who can and cannot afford the drugs.

Hazel Blears: Any application to change the legal status of a particular medicine for lowering blood cholesterol will be carefully considered against the criteria for prescription-only status set out in European and UK Legislation and would be subject to public consultation. Following changes to the law in April 2002, the process of re-classifying medicines has been streamlined and the time taken from application to grant of a new legal status, has been reduced from up to 18 months to around six.
	National Health Service prescribing for statins currently covers over a million patients at a cost of 546 million per year and prescribing is growing by a third each year. Analysis of prescribing suggests that there is a higher rate of prescribing in areas of greater need and that general practice is successfully ensuring that cholesterol lowering therapy is being offered in a way which will assist in the reduction of health inequalities. If cholesterol lowering drugs become available in pharmacies, general practitioners will continue to prescribe to their patients according to clinical need and we expect that this will continue to result in higher prescribing in areas of greater deprivation and ill health.

Timber

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department's procurement policy includes timber used in the construction of departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Department of Health has adopted the model specification clause as proposed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for the procurement of timber from sustainable sources. This policy is specified in any procurement of timber products.
	NHS Estates advise and guide the NHS on sustainable development issues. In April 2002, NHS Estates issued the NHS Environmental Assessment Tool (NEAT). NEAT includes a section on the requirement for timber to be specified from sustainably managed sources.

Tuberculosis

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health why there is insufficient BCG vaccine to carry out TB immunisation this year in schools in the Southampton Health Authority area.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 16 May 2003
	There is sufficient BCG vaccine in Southampton area and the vaccination programme is being carried out in local schools.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Anti-social Behaviour Orders were issued per head of population in each of the police force areas in England and Wales since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The number of notifications received by the Home Office of Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) issued in England and Wales up to 30 November 2002 (latest available) is given in the table by police force area and per 100,000 population.
	We are aware that the numbers of ASBOs made nationally have been consistently under-reported in returns made by magistrates' courts and are considering how reporting can be improved.
	
		Total number of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders issued, as reported to the Home Office, by Police Force Area and per 100,000 population.
		
			 Police force area/MCC(11) ASBOs issued(12) Mid year 2001 population estimate (000)(13) Number issued per 100,000 population 
		
		
			 Avon  Somerset 32 1,309.67 2.44 
			 Bedfordshire 7 489.91 1.43 
			 Cambridgeshire 9 622.56 1.45 
			 Cheshire 9 864.25 1.04 
			 Cleveland 11 473.36 2.32 
			 Cumbria 14 433.36 3.23 
			 Derbyshire 14 841.32 1.66 
			 Devon  Cornwall 12 1,407.23 0.85 
			 Dorset 4 621.02 0.64 
			 Durham 21 523.41 4.01 
			 Essex 2 1,416.17 0.14 
			 Gloucestershire 4 497.93 0.80 
			 Greater Manchester 70 2,165.39 3.23 
			 Hampshire 15 1,566.08 0.96 
			 Hertfordshire 9 901.43 1.00 
			 Humberside 15 763.69 1.96 
			 Kent 33 1,381.84 2.39 
			 Lancashire 26 1,240.07 2.10 
			 Leicestershire 5 810.52 0.62 
			 Lincolnshire 3 574.51 0.52 
			 Merseyside 28 1,197.69 2.34 
			 Metropolitan Police(14)/GLMCA 52 6,258.52 0.83 
			 Norfolk 25 710.90 3.52 
			 Northamptonshire 8 549.79 1.46 
			 Northumbria 27 1,225.11 2.20 
			 North Yorkshire 11 668.09 1.65 
			 Nottinghamshire 17 895.92 1.90 
			 South Yorkshire 18 1,111.79 1.62 
			 Staffordshire 22 924.99 2.38 
			 Suffolk 7 589.23 1.19 
			 Surrey 6 931.21 0.64 
			 Sussex 18 1,325.62 1.36 
			 Thames Valley 11 1,825.61 0.60 
			 Warwickshire 10 446.87 2.24 
			 West Mercia 69 1,021.80 6.75 
			 West Midlands 101 2,212.68 4.56 
			 West Yorkshire 25 1,811.57 1.38 
			 Wiltshire 1 535.41 0.19 
			  
			 England 771 43,146.49 1.79 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 431.87 0.00 
			 Gwent 4 481.63 0.83 
			 North Wales 3 585.09 0.51 
			 South Wales 7 1,052.66 0.66 
			  
			 Wales 14 2,551.24 0.55 
			  
			 England and Wales 785 45,697.74 1.72 
		
	
	(11) From 1 April 2001 Magistrates' Courts Committee areas aligned with police force areas.
	(12) ASBOs issued from 1 April 1999 to 30 November 2002.
	(13) Estimated population for age group 10 and over. (Source: ONS).
	(14) Including City of London.

Antisocial Behaviour

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in Cardiff since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 22 May 2003
	From copies received centrally of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) issued we have been able to identify local authority areas involved. The number of notifications received by the Home Office of ASBOs issued within the Cardiff Unitary Authority since their introduction, 1 April 1999, to 30 November 2002 (latest available), is one.
	We are aware that the numbers of ASBOs made nationally have been consistently under-reported in returns made by magistrates courts and are considering how reporting can be improved.

Asylum Seekers

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to promote advice on sexual health for (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers in the UK.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	Primary care trusts are responsible for providing sexual health services and advice to meet local needs and in particular those who may have special needs such as refugees and asylum seekers.
	Department of Health guidance on local commissioning of sexual health and HIV services addresses the needs of asylum seekers and overseas visitors. The Department will shortly publish practical guidance on sexual health promotion and HIV prevention which will cover languages and also the particular needs of asylum seekers and refugees from African communities.
	The Department funds the African HIV Policy Network to manage national HIV health promotion work for African communities which includes refugees and asylum seekers.

Correctional Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role Martin Narey is playing in advising the Government on corrective policy and criminal justice reform.

Paul Goggins: Martin Narey became Commissioner for the Correctional Services on 10 March 2003. His role is to set the strategic direction for and manage the Directors General of the Prison and Probation Services and to ensure the effective, joint working of the Prison and Probation Services and the Youth Justice Board.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when he will reply to the letter to him of 31 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Miss Zahra Svzeiman;
	(2)  why he has still not replied to the letter dated 31 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Miss Zahra Suleiman.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 21 May 2003.

Sentencing Advisory Panel

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how victims of crime may make their views known to the Sentencing and Advisory Council.

Paul Goggins: The Sentencing Advisory Panel consults extensively in formulating its advice and welcomes views from anyone who wishes to contribute. Full details are on the Panel's website at www.sentencing-advisory-panel.gov.uk. It is obliged to consult Victim Support. In addition, membership of the Panel is drawn widely and anyone may apply.
	As a result of Government amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill, the proposed membership of the Sentencing Guidelines Council, to which the Panel will provide advice, will include those from a non-judicial background, at least one of whom will have experience of the promotion of the welfare of victims.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total sum paid in remuneration and expenses to members of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Fund has been in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: The following data have been supplied by the Appeals Panel, which advises that the figures for 200203 are provisional, unaudited figures.
	
		
			 Financial Year Panel Members Expenses and Remuneration () 
		
		
			 199899 668,819 
			 19992000 1,026,804 
			 200001 2,725,760 
			 200102 2,578,402 
			 200203 1,950,000

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the membership, and the changes thereto, of the Programme Board established to oversee the Criminal Records Bureau implementation; when it was established; and on how many occasions it has met.

Paul Goggins: The Programme Board convened on a monthly basis from 7 July 1999 until 23 March 2002. It was chaired by the Chief Executive of the Passport and Records Agency (previously the United Kingdom Passport Agency (UKPA)) and was composed of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) managers, members of Home Office policy and implementation teams, representatives from police forces and the Scottish Criminal Records Organisation. Representatives of Capita also attended following the contract award.
	The membership varied according to the topics requiring discussion. Other representatives were drafted in as required, but they were not officially regarded as members. The Agenda covered topics under the headings of:
	programme development and implementation;
	policy developments;
	relationships with further parties including police;
	contractor selection and subsequently operation of the CRB/contractor Public-Private Partnership; and
	contract management.
	The Programme Board was subsequently superseded following the commencement of full operations on 11 March 2002 by the Joint Operations Management Board.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

David Blunkett: The total cost of the Home Office Annual Report 2001 was as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			  
			  
			 Cost of production 57,695,66 
			 Cost of printed copies 22,842,00 
			 Total cost 80,537,66 
		
	
	The information and material compiled is used for a variety of purposes and, in particular, is a key part of the Department's accountability to Parliament.

Departmental Underspending

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce his Department's underspend in 200304 from that of 200203.

David Blunkett: The Home Office works towards a balanced budget and to minimise the risk of overspending. The Home Office is currently estimating an underspend of 56 million against its resource Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL), and 37 million against its capital DEL in 200203. These are 0.5 per cent. and 3.3 per cent. of total provision respectively. Planned spending for 200304 is set out in the 2003 Departmental Report (Cm 5908).

Drug Addicts (Treatment)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he is having with the Department of Health regarding GPs who refuse to treat drug addicts.

Bob Ainsworth: The Department of Health and the National Treatment Agency (NTA) are actively encouraging the engagement of GPs in drug treatment, through the development of training programmes and peer support.
	To fund this work the Department of Health has made available 3 million to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to train GPs on the Management of Drug Misuse in Primary Care. This is a certificate programme and to date, 440 GPs have attended the training, including 40 prison doctors.
	Peer support is provided through the Substance Misuse Management in General Practice network (SMMGP) which aims to develop, support and encourage the role of GPs and other primary care workers to work with problem drug users. They perform this task through face to face and telephone contact with GPs. A website and regular newsletter provide access to information.

Drug Addicts (Treatment)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support his Department is offering to drug addicts who (a) are serving and (b) have served custodial sentences for drug related crimes to help them beat addiction.

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service has a comprehensive framework in place to address the wide-ranging needs of drug-misusing prisoners:
	detoxification in all local and remand prisons;
	Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARATs) in all prisons;
	60 intensive treatment programmes;
	voluntary drug testing available in all prisons.
	The Prison Service is not directly responsible for the care of prisoners after release but in partnership with other agencies is seeking increasingly to improve continuity, so that gains made in prison will not be lost on release. The Government's 2002 Spending Review made significant additional provision for throughcare and aftercare links.

Drug Addicts (Treatment)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to promote the availability of drug treatment services to offenders who have served custodial sentences for drug related crimes.

Bob Ainsworth: Offenders who have misused drugs need access to a wide range of support on leaving prison. This includes not only treatment for drug dependency but also access to other services such as housing and employment.
	As part of the revised drug strategy, aftercare provisions are being improved to ensure that offenders, who have served custodial sentences, have relevant support services in place so that they can use drug treatment services effectively. Key to delivering that support are effective links between prisons and agencies in the community. Those links and flows of information are being improvedfor example by building single points of contact in Drug Action Teams (DAT) in the 25 DAT areas with the highest levels of acquisitive crime.

Fraud Victims

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which police issue lost property numbers rather than crime numbers to victims of fraud.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 72W. As explained there, since 2001 everyone who reports a theft to the police should be issued with a crime number and not a lost property number. This applies equally to reports of fraud where there is an alleged link to property such as a benefit book.
	I would be happy to consider this matter further if my hon. Friend would provide me with further background to his concerns.

High-Risk Offenders

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he is having with the Minister for Housing and Planning regarding plans to increase the number of approved hostels for high-risk offenders following release from custody.

Paul Goggins: Although I have not had any such discussions, officials from the National Probation Directorate (NPD) are in regular contact with officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on housing matters, and on matters connected with the possible replacement of or building of new approved premises. We do not have any specific plans at this stage to build approved hostels specifically for high-risk offenders on post-release licence. However, NPD are currently developing an accommodation strategy, covering the needs of offenders under probation supervision. When the results of this are available, we will be able to make an assessment as to whether any new provision is needed to house ex-offenders, including high-risk offenders, and if so, what type of new provision is required, and in what areas it is required.

High-Risk Offenders

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the number of places available for high-risk offenders in approved hostels following release from custody in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) the UK; and what plans he has to increase the number of such hostels in each case.

Paul Goggins: There are currently 100 approved hostels in England and Wales, providing around 2,250 places. These approved premises cater broadly for three groups of residentsbailees, those on community orders with a condition of residence at the hostel, and post-release licencees. Because of the enhanced supervision that they offer, approved premises are primarily for those assessed as medium or high risk. Approved premises play a vital role in public protection by providing closer supervision for offenders in the community than other alternatives such as normal local authority housing.
	The current approved hostel in Gloucester is quite small and in due course may need to be replaced or extendedbut any plans to do this would need to be discussed with local agencies and community representatives before being taken forward.
	More generally, the National Probation Directorate are currently developing an accommodation strategy, covering the needs of offenders under probation supervision. When the results of this are available, we will be able to make an assessment as to whether any new provision is needed to house ex-offenders, including high-risk offenders, and if so, what type of new provision is required, and in what areas it is required.

Prison Inspections

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations HM Inspector of Prisons has made, since January 2001, which have been wholly or partly rejected by the Prison Service; what the reasons were for rejection; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The information could be compiled only at disproportionate cost, as it would require examining approximately 140 reports and around 15,000 recommendations. The Prison Service accepts the vast majority of recommendations. Recommendations are sometimes rejected for security reasons, where insurmountable staff deployment issues arise or where the recommendation is inappropriate for the nature of the establishment's population.

Honours

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in his Department have received honours; and how many honours are held by his officials, broken down by category of honour.

David Blunkett: The Home Office holds individual records of those members of staff, who have received awards for each honours list. Accurate statistics, however, are only available for the period from the new year honours list 1999 to the new year honours list 2003.
	Since the new year honours list 1999, 88 members of the Home Department have received an honour. Of these 36 remain in the Department. One holds a CB (Companion of the Order of the Bath), Two hold CBEs (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), Eight hold OBEs (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and 25 hold MBEs (Member of the Order of the British Empire). Any awards for staff before they joined the department or for achievements not related to official duties have not been included.

Kingston Prison

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 606W, on prisons, when the action plan for Kingston Prison was drawn up following the visit by HM Inspector of Prisons on 1216 February 2003; if he will list its action points and the dates by which the action points were to be implemented; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 606W, on prisons, if he will list recommendations made by HM Inspector of Prisons that were not accepted by the Prison Service following the visit to Kingston Prison on 1216 February 2003, and the reasons for rejection; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The report on Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons' inspection of Kingston prison carried out between 12 and 16 February 2001, was published in September 2001. The Director General of the Prison Service sent an action plan to the Chief Inspector in November 2001, which responded to each of the recommendations made in the report. In accordance with the agreed protocol the action plan was updated in July 2002. I will send the hon. Member a copy of this document, which sets out the information he requires.

Medway Secure Training Centre

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 11 April, Official Report, column 452W, on secure training centres, if he will list the reasons for each financial penalty imposed at Medway Secure Training Centre.

Paul Goggins: In its five years of operation Medway has incurred performance penalties of 844,356 for non-availability of places and 66,518 for failure to deliver specified services. Most were incurred in the first year following a major disturbance two months after the centre opened. The service penalties covered trainees possessing prohibited items, mainly cigarettes; incidents of concerted indiscipline; failure to ensure a trainee saw a doctor on arrival at the Secure Training Centre; failure to comply with cleaning schedule; an escape; compromise of key and lock; failure to deliver 25 hours of taught education and/or training per week; assaults on staff and trainees; failure to provide a training plan; failure to deliver specific programmes for tackling offending behaviour; paperwork for trainees' release being unavailable; and failure to report performance to the monitor.

Offender Resettlement

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the number of prisons in the UK which employ link workers to help resettle offenders after custodial sentences have been served.

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service in England and Wales does not maintain a central record of establishments with link workers helping to resettle prisoners on release. The Prison Service works in partnership with the National Probation Service, youth offending teams, Connexions, Jobcentre Plus, housing authorities and voluntary sector organisations, which provide a range of resettlement support for released prisoners. The Prison Service Custody to Work initiative, with an additional 14.5 million a year from April 2003, is supporting the development of these partnerships, geared to improving employment, training and accommodation outcomes for released prisoners.
	Prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Scottish Executive and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

Parliamentary Questions

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the Question tabled by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak for answer on 1 May, ref 111005.

David Blunkett: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 433W.

Parliamentary Questions

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the question tabled by the right hon. Member for East Yorkshire for answer on 14 January 2003, ref 89433.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 22 May 2003
	I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave on 21 May 2003, Official Report, column 869W.

Prince's Trust

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on schemes operated by the Prince's Trust in each of the last 10 years.

David Blunkett: Our records show the following payments to the Prince's Trust in the last 10 years:
	
		
			  Payments () 
		
		
			 19992000 193,156 
			 200001 150,298 
			 200102 171,355 
			 200203 44,212

Prisons

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what process is used to measure the performance of private sector prisons; and what changes are being made to that process following the introduction of a new system for (a) assessing and (b) publicising the performance of public sector prisons.

Paul Goggins: The performance of private sector prisons is measured through contractual performance measures and Prison Service Standards and Key Performance Targets. The Commissioner for Correctional Services will assess privately managed prisons using the same performance framework as used by the Prison Service for benchmarking public sector prisons. The results will be published at the same time.

Prisons

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 1 May, Official Report, columns 52930, on prisons, what proportion of the prison population in England and Wales is housed in (i) houseblocks, (ii) ready to use units and (iii) modular temporary units.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not available in the format requested as the occupancy of individual buildings is not recorded centrally.
	The previous response to the hon Member outlined the number of additional accommodation places opened at Prison Service establishments between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2003. Of that accommodation, shown as a proportion of the current total useable operational capacity of the Prison Service estate, houseblocks represent 0.9 per cent; ready to use units 0.8 per cent and modular temporary units one per cent.

Prisons

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost per day of prison is for (a) an adult and (b) a juvenile.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 21 May 2003
	The average cost per day of each prisoner during the financial year 200203, for each category of prison is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Category Cost per prisoner () 
		
		
			 Male local 61 
			 High Security 118 
			 Category B 57 
			 Category C 53 
			 Male open 56 
			 Male remand centre 71 
			 Male closed young offender institution 79 
			 Male open young offender institution 50 
			 Male juvenile 100 
			 Female local 95 
			 Female closed 87 
			 Female open 67 
			 Semi open 64 
		
	
	These figures are establishment costs only, expressed in resource terms and exclude any share of Headquarters overheads. Establishment cost per prisoner figures cannot be compared with the overall Prison Service cost per prisoner, which includes all expenditure.
	The Prison Service does not collect the cost of adult and juvenile prisoners. These figures show the average cost of keeping a prisoner in each category of establishment, where establishments are categorised under their main function. This data is provisional and subject to final end of year adjustments.

Prisons

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are being held over (a) 50 miles and (b) 100 miles from their home town.

Paul Goggins: I shall write to my hon. Friend.

Re-offending

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to (a) support offenders and (b) ensure that offenders do not re-offend after custodial sentences have been served.

Paul Goggins: The National Probation Service (NPS) and the Prison Service work closely to meet the needs of offenders during and after custody to help ensure their effective reintegration into the community on release. A wide range of programmes and interventions has been introduced for offenders both in custody and under supervision in the community.
	In 200203 the provisional outturn figures show that 50,700 prisoners received detoxification for drugs dependency, 4,808 benefited from treatment on rehabilitation programmes and 51,802 received an initial assessment for the Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare Services (CARATs) scheme. 6,000 offenders on a Drug Treatment Testing Order (DTTO) received treatment for drugs and offending behaviour. More than 11,000 offenders have taken part in one or more accredited offending behaviour programmes either in custody or in the community since January 2001 and around 30,000 offenders gained a basic literacy or numeracy qualification in the past year.
	The Prison Service in England and Wales does not maintain a central record of establishments with link workers helping to resettle prisoners on release. The Prison Service works in partnership with the National Probation Service, Youth Offending Teams, Connexions, Jobcentre Plus, housing authorities and voluntary sector organisations, which provide a range of resettlement support for released prisoners. The Prison Service Custody To Work initiative, with an additional 14.5 million a year from April 2003, is supporting the development of these partnerships, geared to improving employment, training and accommodation outcomes for released prisoners.
	Two recent reports Reducing Re-offending by ex-prisoners and Through the Prison Gate have reinforced the importance of joining up the contributions of a wide range of agencies to maintain the work of the Prison and Probation Services in supporting offenders to break the cycle of reoffending. The Home Office's Adult Offenders and Rehabilitation Unit has recently held meetings attended by a number of different agencies, Departments and voluntary sector partners to address the issues raised in these reports. The outcome of these meetings will be the formulation of an action plan to promote wider joined-up working to deal effectively with the wide ranging needs of offenders.
	The National Probation Directorate provides strategic funding to several voluntary sector organisations including core funding for the Society of Voluntary Associates (SOVA) and MACRO, to deliver services supporting offender resettlement including drugs, accommodation, employment and training.

Summer Splash Programme

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of crime of the summer 2002 Splash programme; and what plans he has to develop the programme further.

Paul Goggins: In summer 2002, around 370 Splash and Splash Extra schemes were run in high crime areas, enabling over 90,000 young people to take part in a wide range of activities. The schemes contributed to an overall reduction in local crime rates of 5.2 per cent. between July and September 2002, with reductions of up to 31 per cent. in street crime and robbery in some areas.
	Building on the success of these schemes, the Government will this year be launching a new single programme of positive activities for young people to provide year round out of school activities for eight to 19-year-olds. The new programme will absorb the Splash and Splash Extra schemes, and will deliver activities to more young people, providing support for those most at risk. The new programme will mean less bureaucracy for local areas, allowing them to focus on delivering good quality programmes to young people at risk of crime and social exclusion.

Terrorist Attacks

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made since 1996 in investigating the bombing of (a) the Israeli embassy and (b) Balfour House in July 1994, with particular reference to (i) matching and identifying fingerprints, (ii) where the car bombs were manufactured, (iii) the identity of the author of the claims letters and (iv) the identity of the drivers of the car used in the bombing; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: All identified fingerprints were disclosed prior to the trial of Jawad Botmeh and Samar Alami, who were convicted of conspiracy to cause explosions. Letters claiming responsibility for the bombings were received from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Jaffa Group. It was never established where the car bombs were assembled or who drove the cars. I have arranged for my officials to place copies of such transcripts of the original trial as are available in the Library. This should provide further information on the points raised.

Terrorist Detainees

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost has been to public funds of detaining indefinitely suspected terrorists under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001.

Paul Goggins: The cost to the Prison Service of holding the prisoners detained under the Anti-terrorism Crime and Security (ATCS) Act 2001, from the first detentions in December 2001 up to the end of April 2003, is estimated at 424,000. This figure is calculated from the average cost per prisoner over the period at the holding establishments and the number of ATCS detainee months over that period. Indirect costs, in the Prison Service and other agencies associated with the decisions to detain, have not been assessed.

United States Anti-drugs Campaign

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has evaluated on the effectiveness of the Just Say No anti-drugs campaign in reducing overall drugs misuse in the USA; what plans he has to introduce this style of anti-drugs campaigning to the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: An evaluation of the Just say No campaign was undertaken in 2000 and is documented in the Home Office publication Let's Get Real, which describes the evidence base for Communicating with the Public about drugs. This evaluation indicates that campaigns which focus on behaviour change are unlikely to succeed and that simplistic say no messages will be ineffective.
	There are no current plans to introduce this style for anti-drugs campaigning in the UK. The form of each UK anti-drugs campaign is determined on the basis of research and market testing with target audiences.

Young Offenders

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles were held at (a) HMYOI Feltham, (b) HMYOI Warrington, (c) HMYOI Northallerton, (d) HMYOI Thorn Cross, (e) HMYOI Onley and (f) HMYOI Glen Parva in each of the last 12 months, broken down by ethnic group.

Paul Goggins: The numbers of prisoners aged under 18 who were held at (a) Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Feltham, (b) Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Werrington, (c) Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Northallerton, (d) Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Thorn Cross, (e) Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Onley and (f) Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Glen Parva in each of the last 12 months, broken down by ethnic group, are given in the tables.
	
		
			  White Black South Asian Chinese and other Unrecorded Total 
		
		
			 April 2002   
			 Feltham 102 101 8 12 0 223  
			 Werrington 90 8 1 1 0 100 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 39 1 3 0 0 43 
			 Onley 162 35 6 2 0 205 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 May 2002   
			 Feltham 122 85 9 17 0 233 
			 Werrington 100 10 0 1 0 111 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 25 1 3 2 0 31 
			 Onley 154 36 9 5 0 204 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 June 2002   
			 Feltham 143 115 9 21 0 288 
			 Werrington 103 13 0 0 0 116 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 21 1 3 2 0 27 
			 Onley 154 22 9 4 0 189 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 July 2002   
			 Feltham 134 118 13 27 0 292 
			 Werrington 110 8 1 3 0 122 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 26 1 3 0 0 30 
			 Onley 163 17 7 4 0 191 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 August 2002   
			 Feltham 127 119 13 28 0 287 
			 Werrington 113 9 1 3 0 126 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 14 2 1 0 0 17 
			 Onley 148 22 7 3 0 180 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 September 2002   
			 Feltham 139 120 17 29 0 305 
			 Werrington 112 9 1 4 0 126 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 22 2 1 1 0 26 
			 Onley 150 32 10 2 0 194 
			 Glen Parva 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 October 2002   
			 Feltham 145 115 10 38 1 309 
			 Werrington 105 9 2 4 0 120 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 29 2 1 0 0 32 
			 Onley 163 27 13 3 0 206 
			 Glen Parva 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 November 2002   
			 Feltham 139 109 12 32 0 292 
			 Werrington 105 11 2 2 0 120 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 19 2 2 1 0 24 
			 Onley 161 20 11 5 0 197 
			 Glen Parva 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 December 2002   
			 Feltham 148 100 11 32 0 291 
			 Werrington 94 8 3 1 0 106 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 19 1 1 1 0 22 
			 Onley 152 21 7 5 0 185 
			 Glen Parva 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 January 2003   
			 Feltham 134 89 8 31 0 262 
			 Werrington 84 7 4 2 0 97 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 18 1 2 1 0 22 
			 Onley 149 25 4 6 0 184 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 February 2003   
			 Feltham 127 97 9 24 0 257 
			 Werrington 90 12 4 1 0 107 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 14 2 2 2 0 20 
			 Onley 144 28 4 5 0 181 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 March 2003   
			 Feltham 131 93 6 21 0 251 
			 Werrington 94 11 4 1 0 110 
			 Northallerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 21 1 3 1 0 26 
			 Onley 157 25 3 3 0 188 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 0 0 0 0

Young Offenders

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles have been sentenced to detention for life under (a) section 53 of the Children and Young Offenders Act 1933 and (b) section 91 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is contained in the table.
	Statistics for 2002 will be available in the autumn.
	
		Juveniles sentenced to life under Section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and Sections 9092 of the Prowers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000(15) -- England and Wales
		
			  Number of Juveniles 
			 Type of sentence 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Section 53(1)/Section 90/92HMP (Life for murder) 11 24 16 10 26 26 10 24 20 27 
			 Section 53(2)/Section 91/92HMP (Life for other serious offences) 1 4 3 1 1 1 2 5 1 2 
			 Total sentenced to life 12 28 19 11 27 27 12 29 21 29 
		
	
	(15) Sections 53 (1) and (2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 were repealed on 25 August 2000 and their provisions were transferred to Sections 90/92 and 91/92 respectively of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000

Young Offenders

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of young offenders have no recognised qualifications.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The information is not available in this precise form but the Youth Justice Board's last general education audit, published in November 2001, showed that of juveniles who went into custody at least 71 per cent. had left school without any significant literacy or numeracy qualifications.

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to reduce his Department's underspend in 200304 from that of 200203.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office always strives to operate sound financial management of its resource and capital budgets. A capital underspend is expected in 200203 due to unavoidable one-off delays on two major capital programmes. Planned spending for 200304 is set out in the Cabinet Office departmental report 2003 (Cm 5926) .

Departmental Running Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

Douglas Alexander: Detailed financial management information is maintained in terms of financial rather than calendar years, figures for departmental running costs for 200203 will be published shortly in departmental appropriation and resource accounts.
	The running costs of Ministers' Private Offices, the Cabinet Office parliamentary branch and the ministerial Correspondence and Support Team for 200102 are shown in the following table:
	
		
		
			  Number of private offices Totalpaybill Total other running costs Total net running costs 
		
		
			 200102 6 1,376,306 797,130 2,173,436

Efficiency Savings

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the target is for efficiency savings in 200304 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

Douglas Alexander: The published Cabinet Office SR2000 and SR2002 Public Service Agreement (PSA) Target is to achieve a 2.5 per cent. saving per year on administrative resources.
	This target cannot be translated into an absolute monetary value, nor an overall percentage of the departmental expenditure limit. We will meet it by managing within the published administration costs limit.

Government Websites

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment has been made of Government Department websites for (a) access by disabled users, (b) content and reliability and (c) value for money.

Douglas Alexander: The National Audit Office has conducted an assessment of the accessibility and usability of government websites. The report is primarily focused on encouraging use of the internet by older people and is available online at http://www.nao.gov.uk/.
	The Cabinet Office has published guidelines for government web managers covering accessibility, content, reliability and value for money. These are available online at http://www.e-envoy.gov.uk/webguidelines.htm.

Internet

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the (a) cost, (b) scope and (c) partnerships created for the latest initiative to increase internet use in the UK.

Douglas Alexander: In total the Cabinet Office has committed 1 million to the Get Started campaign which aims to drive up levels of internet access among key groups such as the elderly, disabled and unemployed. We expect the value of strong partnership activity to at least match our direct investment. As well as being used to publicise the campaign, our investment is supporting a number of voluntary sector organisations to deliver internet access projects for their users.
	Get Started is a national campaign which was launched on 12 May and will run until 30 June. During the campaign, throughout England, people will be encouraged to visit UK online centres offering free internet starter sessions. The Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly are supporting the campaign by running complementary activity in Scotland and Wales.
	Key partners delivering the campaign include: Arriva, BT, BBC, Dixons Store Group, Granada Television, Age Concern, the Citizens Advice Bureau, the Council for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations, the National Council for One Parent Families, the National Library for the Blind, the Prince's Trust and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps the Office has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Douglas Alexander: Information on Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets is published on the Cabinet Office website and included in routine publications such as the Departmental Report, which involves no significant extra cost. No central record is maintained of other publicity costs associated with promoting PSA targets, which could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Staff Turnover

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of regional variations in staff turnover in his Department.

Douglas Alexander: The majority of staff in the Cabinet Office, the Central Office of Information and the Government Car and Despatch Agency are located in the South East of England. Turnover is monitored in each organisation as part of the process of planning and reviewing resources.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Coffee

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she will make to President Chirac on finding a solution to the problems in the coffee industry at the G8 summit in Evian on 1 June.

Elliot Morley: Coffee growers have been hit by low prices and deteriorating quality, the result of global over-supply and structural imbalances in the industry. The Government will support efforts to find solutions at the G8 summit and in follow-up work after the summit, notably for poor countries in Africa.
	There are a number of possibilities. The UK is already contributing to a sustainable coffee market by helping growers to diversify through its development programme; trying to expand the trade opportunities of commodity-dependent countries, cut tariffs and reduce the negative impact of the CAP. We are promoting foreign investment and good regulatory frameworks, increasing the aid budget to 0.40 per cent. of national income by 200506 and advocating more debt relief to highly indebted poor countries. A government-industry working group is currently looking at what more can be done to improve the livelihoods of poorer commodity producers in developing countries. The UK is also actively participating in the work of the International Coffee Organisation to improve the sustainability of the world coffee market.

Coffee

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will provide financial support for the monitoring of the International Coffee Organisation quality scheme;
	(2)  what representations she has made to the US Administration on (a) membership of the International Coffee Organisation and (b) support for the quality scheme;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on (a) the reduction in supply of and (b) increasing the quality of coffee on the world market through international adherence to basic quality standards set by the International Coffee Organisation.

Elliot Morley: The Government shares the concern for the way that coffee growers have been hit by low prices and deteriorating quality, largely as a result of global over supply and structural imbalances in the industry. The Government's policy on the reduction of supply of and increasing the quality of coffee on the world market is via our membership of the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) and our support for the ICO's coffee quality scheme.
	The ICO Coffee Quality Improvement programme was approved by ICO Council Resolution 407 on 1 February 2002. The programme commenced on 1 October 2002 and requires that exports of coffee, accompanied by Certificates of Origin, shall comply with minimum standards specified in the Resolution. Exporting members are also required to develop and implement national measures to ensure that no exports of green coffee shall fail to meet the exportable standards. Discussions are currently on going about how the exports of processed coffee should be dealt with.
	Exporting members are currently in the process of implementing these measures within their countries. Members will then report to the ICO Council on the measures they have taken to implement the Resolution and inform the Council of any difficulties in this connection. The programme will be reviewed in September 2003.
	The European Union is responsible for paying the membership subscriptions of all EU member states at the ICO. The ICO Secretariat administers the Quality Coffee Scheme and part of the subscriptions of member countries is used to monitor the Scheme, primarily by gathering information from exporting members.
	In order to strengthen the Quality Initiative the ICO has invited the US, the world's largest coffee consumer, to rejoin the Organisation. The US were Members under the 1983 Agreement, but left in 1993 mainly because at the time it did not wish to support mechanisms which could have a price-regulatory effect. The UK supports ICO's invitation for the USA to accede to the International Coffee Agreement 2001.
	The Executive Director has met with the US Administration on behalf of the ICO to encourage them to join and inform the Administration of the ICO's activities, including the one on the Coffee Quality Initiative.

Dangerous Dogs

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on further measures the Government will take to prevent attacks on children by dangerous dogs.

Elliot Morley: Under the Dogs Act 1871 a magistrates court may make an order for the control or destruction of a dog that is dangerous and not kept under proper control. This Act applies everywhere, including in and around a private house. The Dangerous Dogs Acts 1991 and 1997 increased the range of penalties available to the court to deal with offenders whose dog is dangerously out of control in a public place. The Dangerous Dogs Acts have also placed restrictions over the ownership of types of dogs that have the characteristics of a type bred for fighting. I have no plans to introduce additional measures.

Animal By-products

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial cost her Department has estimated of the impact of the Animal By-Products Regulation on small (a) abattoirs, (b) slaughterhouses and (c) butchers.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 22 May 2003
	A partial Regulatory Impact Assessment on the Animal By-Products Regulation is in the Library of the House, as part of the consultation on the enforcing Regulations dated 27 January 2003.
	It has been estimated that the price that slaughterhouses pay for the disposal of blood could rise from the current 16/tonne to 6080/tonne. In addition, some slaughterhouses currently dispose of their blood direct to sewer and do not have collection tanks. As many as one third of slaughterhouses may need to install suitable facilities. The cost of complying with the Regulation will, therefore, vary depending on individual circumstances.

Animal By-products

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer, of 14 May, Official Report, column 264W, on the Animal By-products Regulation, (a) what steps her Department has taken to minimize the impact of the Animal By-Products Regulation on small (a) abattoirs, (b) slaughterhouses and (c) butchers; and how the schemes are being deployed within the England Rural Development Programme.

Elliot Morley: On 1 November 2002 we wrote to all slaughterhouse operators to obtain information on existing blood disposal routes.
	Analysis of the responses indicated that a number of red meat slaughterhouses were concerned about the arrangements they would need to put in place to change to methods of disposal permitted under the new regulations. As a result the Department has worked closely with the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) and other industry experts to develop guidance on simple, low cost ways in which slaughterhouses could comply with the new requirements. This guidance was issued on 21 February 2003 to (a) all red meat slaughterhouses and (b) to the trade organisations listed at Annex 1.
	In addition the MLC held two open days for slaughterhouse operators on 1 and 5 March to discuss this issue.
	Processing and Marketing Grants and Rural Enterprise Scheme funds can be made available from the England Rural Development Programme to assist small and medium slaughterhouse operators to develop the supply of specialist meat products where a regional need has been identified for such assistance and appropriate proposals have been prioritised.
	Annex 1
	List of Trade Organisations
	Association of British Abattoir Operators
	Association of Independent Meat Suppliers
	Association of Meat Inspectors
	British Meat Federation
	British Meat Manufacturers Association
	British Pig Association
	Halal Food Authority
	Institute of Grocery Distributors
	International Meat Trade Association
	Meat industry Liaison Group
	Meat Traders Journal
	National Association of Catering Butchers
	National Council of Shechita Boards
	National Farmers' Union
	National Federation of Meat  Food Traders
	National Federation of Womens Institutes
	National Pig Association
	National Renderers Association
	National Sheep Association
	Quality Meat and Livestock Alliance
	Small Abattoir Federation
	UK Renderers Association
	University of Bristol
	Worshipful Company of Butchers

Bovine Tuberculosis

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress in developing a vaccine to counteract tuberculosis in cattle; and if she will publish the report of the Vaccine Scoping Standing Sub-Committee when it is available.

Elliot Morley: Defra is funding research at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), Weybridge to produce candidate vaccines and to evaluate these in host species. The candidates include a range of live attenuated vaccines and sub-unit vaccines. Defra is also funding experimental vaccination of cattle with BCG and other vaccine candidates, development of a test to differentiate vaccinated animals from infected animals, and development and testing of vaccines against TB in badgers, in collaboration with University College, Dublin.
	The sequencing of the genome of Mycobacterium bovis (announced by Defra in March 2002) represents significant progress in vaccine research, as all genes, proteins, enzymes and antigens present in M. bovis are likely to be identified rapidly in a highly cost-effective manner. This will underpin all future Defra bovine TB research in the development of vaccines and improved diagnostic tests. Defra is funding research at the VLA in this area.
	The report of the Vaccine Scoping Standing Sub-Committee will be published in due course.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why she has not met a CSR target for tuberculosis in cattle.

Elliot Morley: CSR targets were set in 1998 for the Comprehensive Spending Review Period (CSR). The targets which followed the CSR period are known simply as PSA (Public Service Agreement) targets. Defra's PSA is supported by Service Delivery Agreements (SDAs).
	SDA 24 commits Defra to scale up the Tuberculosis (TB) in cattle surveillance programme to recover ground lost as a result of the FMD epidemic, and strengthen TB control in line with EU obligations and agreed GB procedures, by end 2003; and to consider and implement a revised TB control strategy, attracting consensus, in the light of the results of the Krebs trial on TB and badgers by end-2006.
	You can find the above in our SDA which can be viewed at http://defraweb/corporate/busplan/sda/sda0306.pdf.
	Defra is preparing a comprehensive and sustainable Animal Health and Welfare Strategy. The intention is to revise the relevant PSA and as necessary SDA targets in light of this strategy.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many confirmed cases of tuberculosis in cattle there have been in the last five years; and what has been the geographical spread of the disease.

Elliot Morley: The number of new confirmed bovine TB herd incidents in England, by county from 1998 to 2002 is given in the table.
	
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 England 630 741 885 300 1,447 
			 Avon 23 22 32 12 55 
			 Bedfordshire  
			 Berkshire  
			 Buckinghamshire  1 2  1 
			 Cambridgeshire  1 2  1 
			 Cheshire 2 2 3  13 
			 Cornwall 131 125 57 47 254 
			 Cumbria  1 1  6 
			 Derbyshire 7 19 10 7 38 
			 Devon 100 134 182 68 262 
			 Dorset 8 20 10 8 35 
			 Durham 1 
			 East Sussex 1 5 2 1 8 
			 Essex  
			 Gloucestershire 130 133 171 32 206 
			 Greater LondonEast  
			 Greater LondonSouth East  
			 Greater Manchester  
			 Hampshire  
			 Hereford and Worcs 111 128 145 52 218 
			 Hertfordshire 1 
			 Humberside 1 
			 Isle of Wight  1
			 Isles of Scilly  
			 Kent  
			 Lancashire 3 
			 Leicestershire 3 
			 Lincolnshire 1 
			 Merseyside  
			 Norfolk  
			 North Yorkshire (48)  1   5 
			 North Yorkshire (50)  
			 Northamptonshire   1  2 
			 Northumberland 2 1 2 1 10 
			 Nottinghamshire 1  1  1 
			 Oxfordshire 3 1 2 8  
			 Shropshire 3 2 18 8 41 
			 Somerset 36 42 62 14 78 
			 South Yorkshire   1   
			 Staffordshire 34 36 27 36 115 
			 Suffolk  
			 Surrey  
			 Tyne and Wear  
			 Warwickshire 1  1 1 2 
			 West Midlands  1
			 West Sussex 1 
			 West Yorkshire 1 
			 Wiltshire 31 66 54 13 91 
		
	
	Note:
	In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak. Since testing resumed in 2002, resources have been concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high risk herds being tested post-FMD is greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result, the number of new heard incidents in 2002 is not comparable to that of previous years.

Chewing Gum

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the amount councils have spent in each of the last 10 years on removing chewing gum from pavements.

Alun Michael: We have made no specific assessment of the costs incurred by local authorities in cleaning gum in each of the last 10 years but local authorities have told us that costs are high.
	We are currently in discussions with gum manufacturers and interested parties about measures to effectively tackle the irresponsible disposal of chewing gum.

Chewing Gum

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the chewing gum industry to assess the feasibility of changing ingredients in gum so they are less likely to stick to pavements.

Alun Michael: I and my officials are in discussions with gum manufacturers and other interested parties about what to do about the irresponsible disposal of chewing gum. These discussions include reference to biodegradable chewing gum as well as practical measures to promote responsible behaviour by users.

Conservation Board

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what public consultation will take place before a decision is taken on whether or not to establish a conservation board for the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty; what estimate he has made of the possible cost of such a board; what benefits he expects will result; and how local democratic accountability will be maintained if such a board is established.

Alun Michael: Before making an Order to establish a Conservation Board, the Secretary of State must statutorily consult the Countryside Agency and every local authority with land in the AONB for their formal consent.
	I am currently considering establishing Conservation Boards in the Cotswolds and Chilterns Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and in addition to formal requirements Defra has held a 12-week informal consultation on the draft Order, ending on 30 May. Consultees include all constituent local authorities and parishes, the Countryside Agency and organisations with a direct interest in the board. The informal consultation documents are available from the Department's website and are in the House Library.
	Where a Conservation Board is created, there will be some one-off costs, to be met by the Countryside Agency. As to on-going costs there will be swings and roundabouts. One issue is that boards will not be able to recover Value Added Tax payments. I am exploring ways in which the impact of this might be reduced.
	The Government have taken the view that a Conservation Board will be of most benefit to larger AONBs where it would be a focus for conservation and promotion activity, would provide more efficient management and would have an increased potential to attract funding.
	At least 60 per cent. of a board's membership must be drawn from constituent local authorities and parishes. The Secretary of State, will appoint the remaining members, through open competition.

Corporate Identity

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost has been of the introduction of a new corporate identity for her Department; and what further costs are anticipated.

Alun Michael: It must be remembered that these changes are consequent on a major restructuring of Government Departments. The re-branding exercise is necessary to establish a new identity, which will assist in explaining the role and purpose of the new Department among staff, stakeholders, other partners and the public.
	The findings of extensive research with staff, stakeholders and the public has helped Defra develop a better understanding of what our customers expect from us. This will enable us to streamline our communications and improve clarity. The final design proved popular with all groups.
	The cost of developing the new Defra corporate identity is estimated to be 329,000. This includes costs for scoping the project, producing briefing material, undertaking staff surveys and public research and developing the logo. It also includes the commissioning of brand design consultancy.
	Replacing or introducing internal signs in Defra premises is forecast to cost a further 200,000. Further ongoing costs will include work with third parties on joint branding guidelines development.
	Guidelines for staff and external users such as suppliers and printers have been developed as well as a website redesign.

Deer

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is her policy that deer found dead in parts of the country where cows have been infected with TB should be tested for that disease.

Elliot Morley: TB in deer is a notifiable disease. Article 5 of the Tuberculosis (Deer) Order 1989 requires all deer carcases which are suspected of being affected with tuberculosis to be reported to the appropriate Divisional Veterinary Manager (DVM). This applies to all deer species, whether farmed, parkland or wild.
	If lesions suggestive of TB are reported in a deer carcase anywhere in GB, tissue samples are sent to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency for bacteriological culture. If the causative organism of TB is isolated from wild deer in an area of the country that does not undergo annual TB testing of cattle, the DVM may instigate TB test checks of cattle herds in surrounding areas. This has been the standard Defra policy for many years.

Farming Diversification

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what help and advice is available in the south west region for farmers who wish to diversify their activities; and what financial assistance is in place to support these activities.

Alun Michael: Defra provides grants for farm diversification projects under the Rural Enterprise Scheme, which forms part of the England Rural Development Programme. Similar arrangements apply in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and other Objctive I areas through the separate Objective I programme. The Department also offers assistance in the form of free planning consultancy advice to farmers who intend to pursue an eligible diversification project through the Rural Enterprise Scheme or Objective I programme.
	The Department is also considering how to improve the provision of help and informationto farmers considering diversification of their business base. The Farm Business Advice Service, which remains available until March 2004, provides up to three days of freeadvice based around a business healthcheck and results in a business action plan. The service can help farmers decide whether or not to diversify and will direct them to other sources of support to help them see the action plan through. In addition, the delivery plan for the Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food in the South West includes projects designed to help farms develop additional activities and to boost the skills needed to support this.
	The support provided to farmers in the South West mirrors that provided elsewhere in England.

Dolphins

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to protect dolphins around the coast of the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: I refer my hon. Friend to my earlier answer to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George) on 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 689W.

Euro

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions she has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when she expects to complete her analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) she and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests.

Alun Michael: The Treasury's 18 supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are holding meetings with Cabinet Members. There was an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May followed by a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June. The Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June.

Game Birds

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether game birds shot but not collected for eating purposes are subject to the regulations governing fallen stock.

Elliot Morley: Once game birds are released from rearing pens they are considered to be wild. The carcases, or parts of carcases, of wild birds will be exempt from the scope of the Animal By-Products Regulation unless they are thought to be diseased or are used to produce game trophies.

Integrated Administration and Control System

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in (a) Haltemprice and Howden and (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire are awaiting IACS payments; and what the average waiting time for payment was in the last year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: There are no payments outstanding in East Yorkshire under the 2002 Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS). Data is not held at constituency level so there is no specific information available for Haltemprice and Howden. For 2002 main AAPS payments, the regulatory payment window ran from 16 November 2002 to 31 January 2003. 85.88 per cent. of claims by number were paid by 8 December 2002, and 98.25 per cent. by 31 January 2003.

Livestock Markets

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has for the protection and promotion of small-scale local livestock markets in England and Wales.

Elliot Morley: We are working with the Red Meat Industry Forum to improve the competitiveness of all the players in the red meat supply chain under the Forum's Ten Point Action Plan which includes the marketing of animals through the auction system. In recognition of the importance of auction markets in the marketing of livestock and their role in the rural economy we continue to liaise closely with industry representatives with a view to retaining a system in which operators of auction market enterprises can continue to make commercial judgments and decisions for the benefit of their businesses and the livestock industry.

Local Food Chains

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice she gives to local authorities which wish to encourage local food chains by including local sourcing as part of their best value contracting.

Alun Michael: Defra has published guidance for public sector bodies on food procurement that covers issues such as removing obstacles to tendering by local and UK producers. This can be found on the internet at http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/index.htm.
	The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) is producing its own guidance on sustainable procurement for local authorities that I understand will reflect Defra's guidance on food procurement. IDeA is also actively working with Defra, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and other key Departments to take forward the Government's initiative on food procurement across the public sector in England.
	Local authorities are responsible for sourcing a significant amount of food and this has brought with it increased interest, for example, in sourcing fresh produce and promoting healthy eating through their procurement policies. This is reflected in a number of initiatives that local authorities are already taking in this area.

MV Perintis

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of when the container of Lindane lost on 13 March 1989 in the sinking of MV Perintis will corrode; and what impact it will have on fish.

Elliot Morley: Annual monitoring for evidence of Lindane in the area of the English Channel where MV Perintis sunk was undertaken between 1989 and 1993. This found that Lindane concentrations in seawater were low. The conclusion was that the English Channel had not been contaminated as a result of the sinking and that the container of Lindane on MV Perintis had sunk intact.
	The Lindane (a pure, crystalline material not formulated in a carrying solvent) was packed in plastic sacks within the container. Advice from Defra's Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science is that dissolution of the Lindane in seawater at the ambient seabed temperature, leaching from the sacks, and diffusion from within the container into the surrounding water, are all likely to be slow processes and the impact on marine life is therefore expected to be negligible.

Packaging

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what appraisal she has made of the scope for amending regulations on packaging to enable the packaging industry to minimise the packaging of goods.

Michael Meacher: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended) and the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 1998 both include incentives for businesses to minimise packaging. However, I have asked the Advisory Committee on Packaging to consider what further measures might be needed to minimise packaging, and I expect to receive its recommendations later this year.

Parrett Catchment Project

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the chairman of the Parrett catchment project is.

Elliot Morley: I understand that the new chair of the Parrett Catchment Project Management Group is Mr. Nigel Farrow, who I am informed took up this post on 7 May 2003 following the resignation of the previous incumbent, Mr. Humphrey Temperley.
	Mr. Temperley resigned in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest following his appointment to the Chairmanship of the Regional Flood Defence Committee. Mr. Temperley continues to chair the Project's stakeholder group.
	As explained in previous responses to Parliamentary Questions, the Parrett Catchment Project is an independent stakeholder forum and Defra has no role in the appointment of its officers or committee.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Alun Michael: Ministers and officials take every opportunity to explain and publicise Defra's Public Service Agreement targets and the way that Defra and its partners inside and outside Government can contribute to achieving these purposes which will contribute to sustainability and quality of life.
	General information on PSA targets is published on the Defra website (http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/busplan/busplan.htm) and progress towards meeting SR2002 targets can be viewed on the HM Treasury web-based reporting site (http://www.hm-treasurv.gov.uk/performance/). Information is also included in routine publications such as departmental reports which involves no significant extra cost. Other publicity includes the Autumn Performance Report which specifically sets out progress on our PSA targets.

Rural Economy (Sefton)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the development of the rural economy in Sefton.

Alun Michael: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs uses the agreed Office for National Statistics (ONS) definition of rural available at: http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/metadata. asp?dsno=52. Using the ONS definition, Sefton is a predominantly urban district, with only 2 of its 23 wards defined as rural. Defra does not monitor economic performance at individual ward level but these wards benefit from the rural component of the Merseyside Objective 1 Programme.

Sewerage

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she intends to take to increase sewerage disposal in the South East.

Elliot Morley: Under section 94 of the Water Industry Act 1991, sewerage undertakers have a duty to provide, improve and extend their public sewer network. It is a matter for each sewerage company to decide on its programme of work.
	Companies are now in the process of drawing up draft business plans for 200510, and it is open for them to include costed proposals to extend their sewerage network. Ofwat will examine their plans, and decide the allowance for sewerage works when they set companies' price limits in 2004. Companies' draft business plans will be published in the autumn and there will be an opportunity for all interested parties to comment to Ofwat.

Small Farms

Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department will put in place under the CAP decoupling proposals to protect the future of (a) local authority owned and (b) other small farms following the proposal to pay a single subsidy payment to the tenant and to allow the tenant to retain the entitlement payments; and whether it is her policy that the subsidy remain with the farm rather than with the tenant.

Elliot Morley: The Government are not convinced of the need for such measures. In order to claim the proposed single payment, those holding entitlements would need to farm, or at least keep in good agricultural condition, an equivalent number of hectares to that which established the entitlement. This means there are likely to be many farmers, including tenants, with an entitlement who would need to find land to attach it to in order to generate payments. Consequently, our initial assessment is that, while we might expect a greater equalisation of agricultural land values, a marked change in average values seems unlikely. It follows that, while individual circumstances would vary, landowners, including local authorities and small farmers, would continue to experience a benefit from CAP subsidies. The Government supports the Commission proposal that entitlements should be allocated to active farmers, whether they be owner/occupiers or tenants.

Tree Planting

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what tree planting programmes are in existence; and what plans she has to increase forestland in the UK.

Elliot Morley: Forestry is a devolved matter and the forestry strategies for each country in the UK set out the priorities for woodland planting and management. An average of 17,600 hectares of new woodland has been planted annually in the UK over the past 10 years.
	In England, we give grants for planting new woodland under the Woodland Grant Scheme and the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme. We also provide support for initiatives such as the National Forest and the Community Forests.
	The Forestry Commission and Defra published their response to the 'Policy Review of Woodland Creation in England Under the Woodland Grant Scheme and the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme' in April this year. This is available on the Forestry Commission's website (www.forestry.gov.uk). It is planned to introduce revised measures in support of new planting in 2005. At the moment, our target is to create 30,000 hectares of new woodland over the seven year period, 200006, of the England Rural Development Programme.

World Trade Organisation

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made at the WTO on new agreements on agriculture.

Elliot Morley: There has been substantial progress at the WTO towards a new Agreement on Agriculture. Although it is disappointing that the deadline of 31 March 2003 for conclusion of modalities could not be met, all parties remain fully committed to the negotiations with a view to reaching agreement at the fifth meeting of the WTO Ministerial Conference, due to be held in Cancun, Mexico this September.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC v. Prolife Alliance

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library copies of the correspondence sent from her Department relating to the judgment in the case of the BBC v. ProLife Alliance on 10 April 2003.

Kim Howells: There has been no correspondence sent from this Department relating to the recent judgment. However, at the time of the proceedings in February my Department was alerted to a possible ambiguity in the drafting of provisions in the Communications Bill which were relevant to the ProLife case and a letter was put into court making clear the Government's policy intentions. I am arranging for that letter to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. An amendment to the Communications Bill to ensure that the drafting more clearly reflected the Government's intentions was tabled in the other place on 9 May 2003.

Tourist Industry Assistance

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been allocated to assisting the tourist industry since September 2001; what assessment has been undertaken on the extent of recovery in the industry; and what further plans she has to attract foreign visitors to the UK.

Kim Howells: Since 2001 DCMS has allocated the following funding for tourism.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 200102  
			 BTA grant in aid 35.5 
			 BTA tourism recovery 14.2 
			 ETC grant in aid 11.0 
			 ETC tourism recovery 3.8 
			 ETC capital modernisation fund 0.6 
			 London 1.9 
			 Tourism total 67 
			   
			 200203  
			 BTA grant in aid 35.5 
			 BTA Million Visitor Campaign 19.0 
			 ETC grant in aid 11.6 
			 ETC Million Visitor Campaign 1.0 
			 ETC Invest to Save 2.4 
			 ETC capital modernisation fund 0.3 
			 London 1.9 
			 Tourism total 71.7 
			   
			 200304  
			 Overseas promotion 35.5 
			 Domestic promotion (16)14.1 
			 VisitBritain Reform 2.0 
			 London 1.9 
			 EnglandNet: ISB 1.2 
			 Tourism total 54.7 
		
	
	(16) 14.1 million is the total resource available in relation to England with the exception of London. It is not all allocated to VisitBritain. At least 3.6 million will be deployed through the regional development agencies, and other partners will be allocated some of it to reflect transfer of functions.
	The industry experienced a good recovery in 2002 and in the first quarter of 2003 total inbound visitors were back to the same level as two years ago (just prior to the impact of foot and mouth disease).
	In addition, to its on-going campaigns in our key markets around the world, VisitBritain is running two partner campaigns this year: a short break campaign in the autumn in the European markets and an American campaign in the summer.

English Heritage

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions have taken place with English Heritage regarding provision of maintenance work on historic buildings.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has regular discussions with the chairman and chief executive of English Heritage on its activities at a strategic level. There have been no recent discussions regarding maintenance work on historic buildings, day-to-day decisions which are the responsibility of English Heritage.

Euro

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions she has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when she expects to complete her analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) she and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests.

Tessa Jowell: The Treasury's 18 supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are holding meetings with Cabinet Members. There was an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May that will be followed by a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June. The Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June.

Football

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when football clubs will be paid the money due by the end of April to fund centres of excellence and academies for youth players; what the reasons are for the time taken to make the payments; what arrangements have been made to ensure that future payments are paid on time; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Government are committed to making up the 6 million shortfall in funding for the Football League's Youth Development Programme. This covers seasons 200203 to 200506, and the commitment followed the reduction in payments to the Programme from Sport England.
	The Government are working towards including the 6 million in a wider funding package for sport and the arts. The many demands from these sectors for Lottery and Exchequer funding have ensured that completing this package has not been a straightforward matter. However, I expect that the package will be finalised before the beginning of the 200304 season. The arrangements for payment over the period of the commitment to the Youth Programme will then be matters for the League and the relevant funding body.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her oral answer of 19 May 2003, what action the Coalition is taking to protect the ziggurat-stepped pyramid at Ur; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 22 May 2003
	We are in the process of securing reports about the status of significant cultural and historic sites in Iraq. Coalition troops are in place to protect key sites, including the ziggurat-stepped pyramid at Ur. An official from my Department visited and inspected the ziggurat-stepped pyramid at Ur with an archaeologist on 21 May and found it to be in good order. Contrary to reports in the press, there was no evidence of graffiti.

Leisure Facilities (Crosby)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what actions she has taken to protect sports fields and play facilities in the Crosby constituency.

Richard Caborn: We have put in place a number of strong legislative measures and checks to the planning system to ensure that playing fields can be protected throughout England, including the Crosby constituency. New planning guidance on open spaces, sport and recreation has also been published which provides robust guidelines for local planning authorities about the need to protect playing fields and open spaces and strongly emphasises the need for local authorities to undertake rigorous needs assessments for local playing fields and sports facilities, when considering development on these sites or the creation of new facilities.
	This Department recognises the crucial importance of play and in partnership with Sure Start is conducting a review of children's play, which will report in the summer. The review will identify how funding for children's play can be spent most effectively. Although no action has been taken specifically to protect play facilities in the Crosby constituency, the review has identified the need to improve existing play opportunities and develop new ones.

National Lottery

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the future of the New Opportunities fund;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the future of the Community fund.

Tessa Jowell: I announced my intention to proceed with plans to merge the Community fund and New Opportunities fund in February, to create a new community Lottery distributor. The new body would set the pace for modernising delivery of Lottery funding, allowing better coordination and more efficient distribution of funding, and identify and implement programmes to transform communities. We are consulting with the voluntary sector and other interested parties, and these discussions will feed into proposals on the future of Lottery distribution which we intend to publish in the summer.

Non-Olympic Sports

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what safeguards she intends to put in place to ensure that the bid for the Olympics does not restrict the resources available to non-Olympic sports; and what plans she has to support such sports and promote participation in them.

Tessa Jowell: The Sports Councils: UK Sport and Sport England, are responsible for the distribution of exchequer and lottery funding according to their own policies and priorities. Funding is prioritised to both Olympic and non-Olympic sports to ensure the most effective use of both exchequer and lottery funds, it is not expected that the Olympic bid will affect these.
	The Sports Councils will be working to ensure funding from all sources supports grassroots development, club system, talent development and high level performance in all these sports.

Olympic Games

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the financial implications of a British Olympic bid for the London Borough of Havering.

Richard Caborn: We have made no assessment of the financial implications for the London Borough of Havering of a British Olympic Bid. However, the Mayor has said that if a bid were successful, London's contribution towards the games from council tax will be produced from up to 20 a year for a band D property. This would start in the financial year 200607, after it is known whether we will host the games. As for the financial implications of the bidding process, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said in her statement to the House, business, the London development agency and Government will bear the cost.

Olympic Games

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from the London Borough of Havering regarding the British Olympic bid.

Richard Caborn: I have no record of any representations from the London Borough of Havering.

Olympic Games

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with Transport for London regarding the public transport infrastructure in East London in relation to the British Olympic bid.

Richard Caborn: Officials from this department have held a number of discussions with Transport for London to review the transport elements of Arup's cost benefit analysis of an Olympic bid centred on the lower Lea Valley and consider the possible cost of a robust transport solution for a London Olympics.
	These discussions also included other transport groups, for example the Strategic Rail Authority and Highways Agency as well as the Metropolitan Police and Department for Transport.

Olympic Games

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Mayor of London regarding the financial implications of a British Olympic bid for the London boroughs.

Tessa Jowell: The agreement reached between Government and the Mayor of London on the public funding package for a London 2012 Olympics followed extensive and detailed discussions with the Mayor for London and his advisers at official and ministerial level.

Olympic Games

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the lottery contribution to the cost of hosting the Olympic Games will come from existing lottery distributors.

Tessa Jowell: The total amount of Lottery funding required for the Olympics will depend on the eventual costs. With good management, which the Government is determined to see in place, I expect the maximum level of Lottery funding to be 1.5 billion.
	Of this contribution it is estimated that 750 million will be raised through hypothecated Olympic Games. 340 million would be sought from planned expenditure by the established Lottery sport distributors.
	The remaining contribution, if any is needed, would be derived by changing the shares of Lottery income passing to distributors after 2009.

Olympic Games

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made on the impact of existing sports lottery funded projects of hosting the Olympic Games in 2012; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Preliminary assessments of the impact of Olympic Lottery Games have been provided by Camelot, and reviewed by the National Lottery Commission. There is no expectation that hosting the Olympic Games in 2012 would impact on existing sports lottery funded projects.

Olympic Games

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department has identified all the land needed for an Olympic Games bid.

Richard Caborn: It will be for the Bid Company to identify its overall land requirements and the precise location of each of the sporting venues. The Bid Company will be supported in this work by the London Development Agency which is commissioning a master planning exercise for the Lower Lea Valley which encompasses the proposed Olympic zone. The master planning exercise will help to co-ordinate Olympic plans with those currently being developed locally so that the Olympics will complement and reinforce existing regeneration plans in the area.

Olympic Games

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's estimate is of the cost of acquiring sites needed for a London Olympic Games bid.

Richard Caborn: An independent cost benefit analysis carried out by Arup for Government, the British Olympic Association and Greater London Authority estimated that costs of acquiring land for a specimen Olympic Games based primarily in the Lower Lea Valley at close to 400 million. The costs of land assembly should be recovered through the subsequent sale or rent of the land.
	The LDA has already begun assembling land in the area as part of its wider strategy for regeneration and economic development in the Thames Gatewayan area that has been identified as a priority for development by the Government and the Greater London Authority with or without a successful Olympic bid. During the bid period the LDA will only acquire land which could be used for regeneration purposes should the bid not be successful.

Playing Fields

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list playing field sites, by local authority, indicating which are managed by the local authority on behalf of the National Playing Field Association; and if she will make statement.

Richard Caborn: The central collation of information listing playing field sites by local authority would incur disproportionate costs.

Playing Fields

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has held with (a) the Civil Service Sports Council and (b) Civil Service Sports Council Properties Ltd. on the disposal of playing fields.

Richard Caborn: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I have had discussions with either organisation.

Royal Parks

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the budget was and how much was spent on pesticides by the Royal Parks Agency in each year since 1997.

Kim Howells: holding answer 22 May 2003
	Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency and I have asked its Chief Executive, William Weston to reply.
	Letter from William Weston to Mr. Nick Harvey, dated 3 June 2003
	I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to answer your Parliamentary Question about the amount spent by the Royal Parks on pesticides as this is an operational matter which is the responsibility of the Royal Parks.
	We do not budget specifically for pesticides because horticultural and other ground maintenance work in the Royal Parks has been contracted out since 1992. We specify what work we require and how we want it done. The contractors then carry the work out using whatever equipment and materials, including pesticides, are necessary in the circumstances and we pay according to a scale of charges for the work, as laid down in the contract.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 May 2003, Official Report, column 444W.

Sport and Exercise (Participation)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what actions she has taken to encourage adults in Crosby constituency to participate in sport and regular exercise.

Richard Caborn: It is the Government's policy to encourage greater participation in sport and physical activity in all areas of the country and among all groups. Lottery funding both through the Lottery Sports Fund and the New Opportunities Fund has been made available for the provision of new sports facilities in Crosby. Sport England has awarded three community lottery awards in the Crosby constituency totalling 519,229 towards total project costs of 703,181, and 35 awards for all grants totalling 130,481. In addition Sefton LEA's allocation under the New Opportunities Fund PE and sport programme is 3,331,000 towards facilities that will be available to the wider community. Sport England also provided advice in the project to secure the recently opened replacement for Crosby Baths, and will be providing advice on design and planning issues for a second public pool in the Crosby constituency.

Sport and Exercise (Participation)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what actions she has taken to encourage school children in the Sefton LEA area to participate in sport.

Richard Caborn: The Government are committed to increasing and improving opportunities for all young people to participate in sporting activities both within and beyond the curriculum. For this reason, the joint DCMS/DfES national strategy for PE, school sport and club links is investing a total of 459 million over three years (from April 2003). Since April 2001 Sefton has been involved in the School Sport Co-ordinator programme with Chesterfield High School being designated as a Specialist Sports College and acting as a hub site for a partnership of local schools. Stanley High School is in the process of being similarly designated and all schools in Sefton will eventually be involved in the programme. In addition, the New Opportunities PE and Sport programme aims to bring about a step change in the provision of sports facilities for young people. Sefton LEA has been allocated 3,331,000 for this.

Sport England

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on funding for Sport England.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 22 May 2003
	Sport England's planned Exchequer Funding allocation is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 200304 61.575 
			 200405 74.075 
			 200506 80.375

Sports Funding

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the projects removed from the sports funding agency programme for 200304.

Richard Caborn: Sport England is reviewing projects as part of its Lottery reprioritisation programme. No decisions have yet been reached.

PRIVY COUNCIL

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the President of the Council how many officials in the Department serve on EU committees or working parties.

John Reid: None.

Euro

Norman Lamb: To ask the President of the Council when he received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions he has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when he expects to complete his analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) he and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests.

John Reid: The Treasury's eighteen supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are holding meetings with Cabinet Members. There was an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May and this will be followed by a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June. The Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June.

Parliamentary Questions

Piara S Khabra: To ask the President of the Council how many written questions were tabled in the last Parliamentary session; and at what cost to public funds.

John Reid: The total number of questions tabled in the House of Commons last session was 72,905 1 at an estimated cost of some 9.842 million.
	1 House of Commons Sessional Returns 200102

Privy Council Committees

Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Council if he will list the (a) ad hoc and (b) standing committees of the Privy Council, indicating in each case their membership.

John Reid: The only current ad hoc Committee is one established to consider a petition of the Royal Town Planning Institute for the grant of a Supplemental Charter. Its members are the President of the Council, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Attorney General.
	The standing committees of the Privy Council and their members are:
	The Judicial Committee
	The membership consists of the Lord Chancellor, the President of the Council, former holders of those offices and Privy Counsellors who are or have been Lords of Appeal in Ordinary or who hold or have held high judicial office in the United Kingdom or in certain Commonwealth countries. A person ceases to be a member of the Judicial Committee on attaining the age of 75 unless he or she is the Lord Chancellor.
	The Scottish Universities Committee
	The President of the Council, The First Minister, Lord Justice General, Lord Justice Clerk and Lord Advocate (if Privy Counsellors), a member of the Judicial Committee and any other Privy Counsellors who may be appointed. The quorum is three, one of whom must be a member of the Judicial Committee or a Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland.
	The Committee for the Affairs of Jersey and Guernsey
	The President of the Council
	The Lord Chancellor
	The right hon. Baroness Scotland of Asthal
	The Honours Scrutiny Committee (formerly The Political Honours Scrutiny Committee)
	The right hon. Lord Thomson of Monifieth
	The right hon. Lord Hurd of Westwell
	The right hon. Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde
	The Crown Office Act 1877 Committee
	The Lord Chancellor
	The Lord Privy Seal
	A Secretary of State
	The Universities Committee (dormant)
	The President of the Council
	The Archbishop of Canterbury
	The Lord Chancellor
	The Chancellor of the University of Oxford
	The Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
	Up to two other members of the Privy Council, at least one of whom should be a member of the Judicial Committee.
	The Baronetage Committee
	President of the Council
	Lord Chancellor (as successor to the Home Secretary)
	The Earl Marshal
	The Lord Chamberlain

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps her department is taking to address the issue of age discrimination.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 28 April 2003
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is currently in the process of reviewing its policy on age. The CPS Board considered and approved a paper in February 2003 that the retirement age to be extended from 60 to 65. All those in grades ranging from administrative assistants to grade six lawyers are now able to continue working up until the age of 65 should they wish. For those in higher grades, if the Cabinet Office approves the changes, the retirement age for Senior Civil Service grades will also follow suit and increase from 60 to 65 within the CPS.
	The CPS also plans to draw up a new generic equality scheme, which will encompass all aspects of race, sex, disability and age discrimination. It is hoped that this will be finalised in 2004 and take on board good practice measures in advance of the passage of legislation on age in 2006.
	The CPS ran an awareness campaign in 2001 and 2002 called Dignity at Work. The document that accompanied the campaign established standards of behaviour for all staff and included reference to age discrimination with regards to how people are treated at work.
	In November 2002 the Serious Fraud Office's (SFO) Management Board agreed changes to the SFO's retirement policy for staff below the Senior Civil Service (SCS) which, in most cases, previously required individuals to retire at age 60. With effect from 1 January 2003, SFO employees below the SCS now have the option to continue working for any period up until the day prior to their 65th birthday.
	Staff now have more flexibility when determining their retirement plans and the Department will benefit by retaining for longer the knowledge and experience of its staff.
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department's (which for these purposes includes the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers) published policy on Race, Equality and Diversity commits it to ensuring equal opportunities irrespective of age. This policy covers recruitment and all other aspects of Agency life, including advancement and training. The policy also commits the Agency to ensuring that staff are provided with an inclusive working environment, free from discrimination and harassment based on age, and to having in place procedures for handling complaints. The Agency's performance is monitored by a Diversity Group.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's Equal Opportunities Policy Statement includes references to the organisation's commitment to ensure that all eligible job applicants and staff shall have equal opportunity for employment and advancement on the basis of their suitability for the work, whatever their age.
	HMCPSI have also included in the Specific DutyEmployment section of our Race Equality Scheme (published May 2002) a commitment, among others, to:
	Monitor Inspectorate staff by age;
	Monitor recruitment exercises by age;
	Commence recording the provision of training to all staff by age; and
	Record the percentage of staff through age applying successfully for promotions and postings.
	Finally, two members of staff have requested and been granted, permission to extend their employment beyond their 60th birthday. No application has been refused.

Counselling Services

Paul Marsden: To ask the Solicitor-General what arrangements are made in her department to allow staff to access counselling services.

Harriet Harman: In respect of my own department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the majority of staff are on secondment from other departments and continue to have a right of access to the counselling services of the parent department. All staff are also able to avail themselves of the service provided by the Treasury Solicitor's Department. In relation to the other departments for which the Law Officers are responsible, the answer is as follows:
	Crown Prosecution Service:
	All CPS staff have access to a counselling service via the CPS Counselling and Support Service (CSS). Staff who access counselling will undertake six to eight sessions as deemed necessary. If it is clear that long term counselling is required appropriate referral is recommended. Counselling is offered either face to face or via telephone, in accordance with the individual's requirements and geographical constraints. Serious Fraud Office:
	All employees are provided with a confidential Welfare Helpline number, as well as a monthly on-site surgery by the Welfare Officer. In addition, home visits may be arranged if required.
	Treasury Solicitor's Department:
	All staff have access to a Staff Health and Welfare Service and to Familylife Solutions, a confidential telephone helpline.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate:
	A significant proportion of staff in HMCPSI are on loan from other Government departments. They continue to have a right to access the counselling services of the parent department.
	Staff employed by HMCPSI also benefit from the availability of the service offered by the Treasury Solicitor's Department.

Crown Prosecution Service

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Solicitor-General, what assessment she has made of the effect of the proposals in the draft text prepared by the Convention on the Future of Europe on the operation of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The draft Constitutional Treaty aims to modernise and simplify the existing Treaties into a single, readable text. In most cases, there will be no change to the substance: the current Treaties already provide for police and judicial co-operation at EU level. Europol and Eurojust have already been established and are already making a significant contribution to the fight against transitional serious crime and terrorism. The draft proposals recommend the creation of a European Public prosecutor. The UK opposes this. Prosecution should remain the responsibility of the Member State.
	The UK will not sign up to anything which is not in its interest. The new Treaty can only be agreed by Heads of Government at an IGC by unanimity.

Crown Prosecution Service

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Solicitor-General, if she will make a statement on the administrative efficiency of the Crown Prosecution Service in London.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The Croydon CPS Criminal Justice Unit dealt with 12,860 last year and achieved a conviction rate of 97.0 per cent. of those cases that went to trial.
	I am also aware that continuing efforts are made to improve performance and procedures if any deficiencies are found.

Departmental Creche Facilities

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what creche facilities are provided by the Attorney-General's Office; and at what cost.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 25 March 2003
	None of the Departments for which the Attorney-General holds ministerial responsibility provide creche facilities. However, the Treasury Solicitor's Department has a contract through the Cabinet Office, with Childcare Enterprises Ltd. This company provides a holiday play scheme to which Treasury Solicitor's staff can apply at a cost, currently, of 30 per day. Half the cost is subsequently met by the Department. In the current financial year, 200203, seven staff have used the play scheme service, at a cost to the Department of 1,476.00.

Fraud

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Solicitor-General when she next expects to meet representatives of small firms to discuss ways of preventing fraud.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 22 May 2003
	On 5 March 2003 I met with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and representatives of the SFO and CPS.
	Although no further meeting is formally scheduled, the SFO and CPS would readily assist the FSB with any queries they may have. The SFO already has good links with the FSB and following the meeting better links were developed with the CPS. I continue to work with the CPS, SFO, small business organisations and colleagues in the DTI to combat fraud on business.

Local Criminal Justice Boards

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Solicitor-General, what contribution Local Criminal Justice Boards are making to the Criminal Justice System.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 22 May 2003
	Local Criminal Justice Boards are taking forward at a local level the task of improving the effectiveness of the Criminal Justice System through closer co-operation between the different agencies.
	The Boards consist of the Chief Officers of Police, Probation Service, Crown Prosecution Service and Courts together with senior representatives from the Prison Service and Youth Offending teams. They were established on 1 April and have made rapid progress by establishing co-ordinated plans for bringing more cases to justice. They will also evolve plans to increase public confidence.

Market Testing

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what the estimated level of saving is to the Department from the use of market testing in 200203.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 9 April 2003
	The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, Crown Prosecution Service, Serious Fraud Office, Treasury Solicitor's Department and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate have not conducted any formal market testing activity within the period 200203.
	Goods and services provided externally are normally acquired through competitive procurement. All contracts are regularly reviewed to ensure value for money in all departments.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Solicitor-General how many sick days were lost in the last year by her department through staff mental health problems.

Harriet Harman: In respect of those departments for which the Attorney-General holds ministerial responsibility, the information is as follows:
	Crown Prosecution Service:
	Over the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 the number of days lost was 11,207.
	Serious Fraud Office:
	Over the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 the number of days lost was 508.
	Treasury Solicitor's Departmentincluding the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate:
	Over the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 the number of days lost was 392.
	In compiling these figures the widest definition to mental health problems was adopted so as to include stress, tension, nerves, emotional upset etc.

National Insurance

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor General what the cost will be to public funds in 200304 of the rise in national insurance contributions on the salary bill of her Department.

Harriet Harman: holding reply answer 10 April 2003
	On the basis of current salary levels the cost to public funds, for the financial year 200304, due to the rise in national insurance contributions is forecast to be:
	
		
		
			 Cost to public funds in 200304 of rise in NI contributions on the salary bill of the Solicitor-General's Department 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Crown Prosecution Service 2,700,000 
			 Serious Fraud Office 54,000 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Department (including Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate) 197,508

Part-time Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor General what assessment she has made of the impact of the Part-time Workers Directive on staff in the Department.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 28 April 2003
	The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate currently have no part-time staff.
	The Crown Prosecution Service complies with the Part-Time Workers Directive by ensuring that part-time workers are not treated less favourably than full-time workers, and that staff at all levels are able to apply to work part-time. In addition to part-time work, other complementary schemes such as job-sharing, part-year working and compressed hours are available to staff at all levels.
	The Serious Fraud Office has a very small number of employees who work less than full-time hourspart-time staff make up less than 3 per cent. of the total number of employees. The Part-time Workers Directive has therefore had a minimal impact on this Department.
	Part-time staff enjoy the same terms and conditions of employment as their full-time equivalents. Salary, together with entitlement to annual leave and public and privilege holidays, are calculated on a pro-rata basis. Access to training, development and promotion opportunities are afforded to part-time staff in the same way as for full- time members of staff.
	As at 1 April 2003 there were 44 part-time employees in the Treasury Solicitor's Department representing 6.8 per cent. of total staff in post.
	Jobs in the Treasury Solicitor's Department are advertised on the basis that they will be open to part-time workers, unless otherwise stated due to the nature of the work. The impact on business terms should therefore be minimal but in terms of staff satisfaction should be beneficial.

Press Office

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General how many people are employed in her Department's press office; and how many were employed on 2 May 1997.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 14 April 2003
	The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers has one press officer who also acts as Private Secretary. This is the same number as in May 1997. The Press Officer also provides services to the Treasury Solicitor's Department which does not have its own Press Officer and did not have one in 1997.
	There are 10 people employed in the Crown Prosecution Service Press Office. This is the same number as in May 1997.
	The Press and Information Office at the Serious Fraud Office currently has three members of staff. On 2 May 1997, it employed four members of staff.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has no dedicated Press Officer. Casework Inspectors and the Chief Inspector handle press enquiries as part of their routine duties. HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate did not exist in May 1997.

Public Service Agreement

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General (a) how many and (b) what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of the Department.

Harriet Harman: holding reply answer 28 April 2003
	In relation to the departments for which the Attorney General holds ministerial responsibility, the answer is as follows. Crown Prosecution Service
	The public service agreement (PSA) targets for the criminal justice system are overarching measures. They apply to all criminal justice agencies working together in the 42 local criminal justice boards. Delivery against the targets and local monitoring of progress towards them are the responsibilities of a wide range of managers at both a local and national level, some within the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and some working for other agencies. Their grades vary according to their respective range and level of responsibility. These diverse arrangements cannot be readily summarised, nor is any central record held of the numbers and grades of those involved.
	A new Directorate within CPS Headquarters, the Business Development Directorate (BDD), established in April 2003, has national responsibility for the Service's response to the PSA targets. Its role includes ownership of the business processes and co-ordination of the programme of change and reform needed to support service delivery. It also provides policy and guidance on planning and performance management, together with the provision and analysis of the management information which measures and accounts for our steps towards PSA goals. None of the staff within the BDD works exclusively on monitoring PSA targets: all have other responsibilities related to supporting the 42 CPS areas in realising the Service's demanding reform programme.
	BDD is headed by a business development director and, within his overall command, the management of performance falls to the head of resources and performance. Both posts are filled at senior civil service level. Performance information is handled within the Internal Resources and Performance Branch, headed at grade D level, by one level B3 and one level B2, both of whom also have other responsibilities.
	Serious Fraud Office
	The Serious Fraud Office does not have a public service agreement. Instead, it has a service delivery agreement which contains targets on the total number of cases undertaken and the time taken to complete those cases. Responsibility for monitoring progress against these targets rests with the Director the Serious Fraud Office.
	Treasury Solicitor's Department
	Progress towards the public service agreement targets is monitored quarterly by the Executive and Supervisory Boards of the Treasury Solicitor's Department.
	The Executive Board comprises six Senior Civil Servants; the Supervisory Board comprises 19 Senior Civil Servants, including the Treasury Solicitor.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate
	HMCPSI does not have direct responsibility for delivering any PSA targets. However, its activities have close links to all three key PSA targets for the criminal justice system (i.e. Narrowing the Justice Gap, increasing public confidence and increasing value for money). The HMCPSI Business Plan links all activities to one or more PSA targets. However, it does not have any officials directly involved in monitoring progress.
	A number of HM inspectors employed by HMCPSI comment on the progress of CPS performance towards PSA targets. However that work is integrated to their ordinary duties and cannot be separately costed.

Serious Fraud Office

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Solicitor-General, if she will make a statement about the resources for detection and investigation available to the Serious Fraud Office. (115021)
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The SFO is responsible for investigating and prosecuting serious complex fraud.
	In this financial year the budget of the SFO has risen to 23.41 million. In 200405 it rises to 30.39 million and in 200506 it rises to 35.34 million.
	The SFO employs both permanent civil servants and contract staff. It also investigates in conjunction with the police and is working with the Corporation of London and the Government to explore ways of making more police resources available for investigating fraud.

Smoking in the Workplace

Chris Grayling: To ask the Solicitor-General what policy her Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 7 March 2003
	All of the Departments for which the Attorney General holds ministerial responsibility have adopted policies forbidding smoking except in designated areas.

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the sunset clauses included in legislation from her Department since 1997.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 7 April 2003
	The Departments for which the Attorney-General holds ministerial responsibility have not been responsible for any legislation containing sunset clauses since 1997.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the first accommodation centre for asylum seekers to be operational; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Firm opening dates have yet to be finalised, and will depend upon such issues as planning consent, the nature of each site, and the design proposals.

Asylum Seekers

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the return of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 20 May 2003
	On 15 January 2002, my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary announced a temporary suspension on removals of unsuccessful asylum seekers to Zimbabwe, pending the outcome of the presidential elections in March 2002. The Government have been keeping under review whether this suspension should remain and have concluded that it should be kept in place.

Asylum Seekers

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that asylum seekers from minority groups, with particular reference to (a) the Roma, (b) people from Serbia and Montenegro and (c) people from Kosovo will not be placed in Oakington Immigration Reception Centre pending the outcome of a case filed by the European Roma Rights Centre on 9 May concerning the expulsion of a Kosovo Romani family from Denmark.

Beverley Hughes: The case filed by the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) with the European Court of Human Rights concerns the removal of a Kosovo Roma family to Kosovo. The UK does not currently enforce the removal of Roma or people from any other Kosovan ethnic minority groups to Kosovo or to other parts of Serbia and Montenegro.
	The ERRC case therefore has no bearing on our policy in relation to asylum seekers from Kosovo or other parts of Serbia and Montenegro and there are no plans to alter our arrangements for dealing with these cases.

Asylum Seekers

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to review contracts with private landlords providing accommodation and services for asylum seekers following the report on the Landmark company in Liverpool.

Beverley Hughes: Current contracts with accommodation providers are subject to contract compliance monitoring. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) also regularly reviews its contractors' performance against key performance indicators. Officials hold regular meetings with all contracted accommodation providers.
	In addition senior officials within NASS meet the senior management of contracting companies at least once a year although steps are in hand to hold these bi-annually. As it develops its strategy for procuring accommodation when current contracts expire, NASS will take account of its experience with the present contracts.

Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total expenditure on advertising by the Department was in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203; and what the level of planned expenditure is for (i) 200304 and (ii) 200405.

David Blunkett: The total advertising spend for the Home Department was:
	(a) 14.4 million
	(b) 9.9 million
	During 200203 we ran campaigns which supported police recruitment, a reduction in vehicle crime, the national firearms amnesty and advising parents and children on safe use of the internet.
	In 200102 our campaigns again focused on police recruitment, vehicle crime reduction and child protection on the internet. We also ran campaigns to support a reduction in drug misuse and the introduction of postal voting.
	Expenditure plans for (i) 200304 and (ii) 200405 have not yet been finalised.

Ali Serir

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 15 May, Official Report, column 430W, on Ali Serir, on what basis Mr. Ali Serir's application was refused.

Beverley Hughes: Mr Serir's application was refused as Mr Serir failed to meet the requirements set out under Rule 284 of the Immigration Rules, namely that an applicant must have limited leave to remain in the UK.

British Citizens

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations under subsection (1) (ba) or (bb) of the British Nationality Act 1981 have been published since the passing of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; and if he will place copies in the Library.

Beverley Hughes: The subsections of the British Nationality Act referred to in the question relate to the standard of English and knowledge about life in the UK to be attained by those applying for naturalisation.
	My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary appointed the Life in the UK Advisory Group chaired by Professor Sir Bernard Crick, to look at the content, conduct and implementation of programmes of study for potential citizens. It is expected to publish its final report shortly.
	Once the recommendations in the report have been considered the regulations will be drafted and published.

British Citizens

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have become (a) registered and (b) naturalised as British citizens since the passing of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Beverley Hughes: The latest available figures for registration and naturalisation as a British Citizen are for 2001, published in the Home Office statistical Bulletin Persons Granted British Citizenship, United Kingdom, 2001. A copy has been placed in the Library.
	Figures for 2002 will be published in the next Bulletin, due in August 2003.

British Citizens

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been deprived of citizenship under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Beverley Hughes: The provisions of the Act came into force on 1 April 2003. There are now two possible grounds for deprivation: that the individual obtained the citizenship by deception or (provided he or she would not be left stateless) that the person has done something seriously prejucicial to the vital interests of the United Kingdom or of a British overseas territory. Notice of a decision to make a deprivation order has been made in one case.

Children's Rights Commissioner for London

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Office of the Children's Rights Commissioner for London.

Charles Clarke: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government welcomes the contribution of the Office of the Children's Rights Commissioner for London to the debate about the value of a children's commissioner for England. We have received a copy of the final report entitled 'A Legacy and a Challenge for London: Office of the Children's Rights Commissioner for Londona Three-year Demonstration Project' (2003), and are considering with interest the report's assessment of the work of the Office over the past three years.

Corporate Manslaughter

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the proposed new offence of corporate manslaughter will apply to (a) Crown properties and (b) Government departments.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 22 May 2003
	As we announced during the Report stage of the Criminal Justice Bill, we intend to legislate to ensure that companies where a death has occurred due to gross negligence by the organisation as a whole are liable for manslaughter under the criminal law. The legislation will be targeted at companies, not individual directors. We will announce further details of the proposals, including the position of Crown bodies in respect of the legislation, before the end of the year.

Correctional Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the terms of reference of the review looking into corrections policy; and what progress is being made in producing a report.

Paul Goggins: A Review of Correctional Services was announced in July 2002 in the White Paper Justice for All.
	The first phase of the review has concentrated on the short term demands on the correctional services and was carried out by the Home Office. The second phase of the review is being led independently by Patrick Carter and will consider a strategy for correctional services over the Spending Review 2004 period to meet the Government's objectives of protecting the public, reducing crime and sustaining public confidence, in ways which are cost effective and financially sustainable. Patrick Carter is due to report his findings to Ministers in the autumn.

Correctional Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is towards corrective procedures; and what steps he is taking to encourage greater co-ordination between police, probation, criminal services and the legal system.

Paul Goggins: The White Paper Justice for All set out a wide-ranging programme of reform for the criminal justice system (CJS) including the correctional services in England and Wales. This Government is determined to create a criminal justice system that meets the needs of society and wins the trust of citizens by convicting the guilty, acquitting the innocent and reducing offending and re-offending.
	The Prison and Probation Services already work closely together in managing the supervision of licensed offenders and are increasingly engaged in joint work in meeting the target on reducing re-offending.
	The need for greater co-ordination between the various parts of the criminal justice system underpins the changes we have made to structures at both the national and local levels. Most critically the formation of a National Criminal Justice Board and 42 Local Criminal Justice Boards (one for each CJS area) will help to give a formal framework for the pursuit of shared aims and objectives.
	The National Board will bring together Ministers, senior policy officials and Service Heads from all the main criminal justice departments and will give direction and drive to the delivery of the key CJS targets. Locally the Boards will consist of Chief Officers from the Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Prisons, Courts (Crown and Magistrates), Probation Service and Youth Offending Teams.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what service levels were achieved by the Criminal Records Bureau in 200203; and what service levels were specified in the contract with Capita.

Paul Goggins: The service levels achieved by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) against their published service standards between August 2002 and March 2003 are as follows (there are no figures available prior to August 2002):
	Standard Disclosures19.4 per cent issued within one week (against a target of 95 per cent)
	Enhanced Disclosures52.4 per cent issued within three weeks (against a target of 90 per cent.)
	Turnaround times have improved as the joint service improvement plan has taken effect. Some 90 per cent of Standard Disclosures and 70 per cent of Enhanced Disclosures are now being issued within three weeks.
	The following relevant service standards are set out in the contract between the Capita and the CRB:
	
		Table 4A: Registration Services Elapsed Time Service Levels
		
			 Service Element Service Measure Service Level 
		
		
			 (A2) New registration Percentage of instances performed within five days elapsed time 95.0 
			 (A3) Registration changes (including additional or replacement counter-signatory) Percentage of instances performed within three days elapsed time 98.0 
		
	
	
		Table 4B: Certificate Services Elapsed Time Service Levels
		
			 Service Element Service Measure Service Level 
		
		
			 (Bl) Invalid application for CCC or HLC Percentage of instances performed within two days elapsed time 98.0 
			 (B3) Telephone Application for HLC: up to issue of application form for signature and counter-signature Percentage of instances performed within one day elapsed time 99.0 
			 (B4) Valid application for CRC: up to despatch of certificate Percentage of instances performed within three days elapsed time 98.0 
			 (B5) Valid application for ECRC: up to despatch of certificate Percentage of instances performed within four days elapsed time 98.0 
		
	
	Definitions:
	Elapsed timeThe aggregate of the elapsed times of the Activities (or Business Processes) (for which responsibility is assigned, in Schedule 2 or otherwise, to the Contractor) performed in the provision of a Service Element, such elapsed times (a) being measured from the Service Start Point to the Service end Point and recorded on a 24 hours clock, seven days a week. Elapsed time measures expressed as a number of days shall be construed as meaning that number of days multiplied by 24 hours. For the avoidance of doubt, Elapsed time shall exclude the duration of cheque clearance processing.
	Criminal Conviction Certificate (CCC)Basic
	Disclosure (not yet available)
	Criminal Record Certificates (CRC)Standard Disclosure
	Enhanced Criminal Record Certificate (ECRC)Enhanced Disclosure
	Higher Level Certificate (HLC)Standard and Enhanced Disclosures.
	The details of Capita's performance against the above service standards are commercial in confidence and accordingly would normally come within exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. However, I have concluded that in this instance it would be in the public interest not to continue to use the exemption.
	Capita's performance against the contractual service standards between August 2002 and March 2003 is as follows:
	
		Percentages
		
			 New Registrations(A2) Registration Changes (A3) Invalid Application (B1) Telephone Application (B3) Valid Application for Standards (B4) Valid Application for Enhanced (B5) 
		
		
			 39.0 8.7 6.5 99.3 8.0 18.0

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it cost to appoint an independent negotiator in respect of Capita's Criminal Record Bureau contract; and who will bear the cost.

Paul Goggins: The cost of procuring an independent negotiator at the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) was approximately 2,600 arising from existing staff time and effort in the Passport and Records Agency (PRA) and the CRB. The CRB will bear this cost.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many free disclosures for volunteers the Criminal Records Bureau has issued in each month since its launch; and how much they have cost.

Paul Goggins: As at 31 March 2003 the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has issued 1,442,000 disclosures. Out of this cumulative total 202,000 disclosures were issued free of charge to volunteers, which equates to 14 per cent. of all disclosures issued.
	The cost of these free disclosures will calculate to 2,424,000, which represents a considerable saving to the voluntary sector.
	There are no IT procedures at present to obtain numbers of applications from volunteers by month since launch, from the CRB database. It is expected that these enhancements will be available in subsequent system releases.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department made of the unit costs in (a) 200203 and (b) 200304 of (i) standard, (ii) enhanced and (iii) basic disclosure by the Criminal Records Bureau using the (A) paper-based, (B) telephone-based and (C) electronic-based application routes; and what the actual unit costs were in 200203.

Paul Goggins: The table shows the unit costs for paper and telephone based applications for each type of disclosure.
	
		
			   200203 estimate unit costs 200304 estimate unit cost 200203 actual unit costs 
		
		
			 Standard Paper 13.6 12.38 36 
			  Telephone 13.6 12.38 31 
			 Enhanced Paper 13.6 12.38 41 
			  Telephone 13.6 12.38 36 
			 Basic Telephone 13.6 12.38 N/a 
		
	
	The estimates were prepared before go live in Winter 200102 and published in the Corporate Business Plan 200207 in April 2002 as an average across Disclosure types and application channels.
	It should be noted Basic Disclosures were only going to be available using the telephone and electronic based application routes. Electronic applications are not applicable for 200203. Actual costs are estimates, subject to audit and reflect lower than expected production volumes.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the system supplied by Capita for the Criminal Records Bureau is capable of extracting data concerning individual applications that have experienced delays outside the performance standards.

Paul Goggins: The system supplied by Capita for the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is capable of extracting data concerning individual applications that have experienced delays outside the performance standards. The CRB database records when an application was submitted and can be interrogated to establish whether and for how long, if at all, it had been outstanding. This can be achieved when an individual or a counter-signatory contacts the CRB to establish whether an application had been delayed.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement of 30 April 2003, Official Report, column 119WH, on the Criminal Records Bureau, if he will make a statement on the ways in which the system failed to meet the specification; if he will place in the Library copies of the evaluation produced from the testing prior to launch; and when the decision to accept the system was made, and by which minister.

Paul Goggins: Under the terms of the Contract it was for Capita to prepare and run, with the oversight and involvement of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Agency staff, an end-to-end acceptance test. This test was designed to ensure that the system processes would run without critical failure. Through programme reporting, the CRB was assured that the technical tests, which were completely within their management domain, had been run in accordance to an agreed testing strategy, to ensure that system modules performed to specification.
	The end-to end acceptance test was run during November 2001 and the Capita Programme Director provided a joint test report to the CRB Board, which also took account of the Model Office and Pilot phases, on 4 March 2002. This report recommended that the system was ready for live operation. The report also provided assurance that a programme of enhancements was in progress to deal with those functional shortfalls identified during system testing, but not considered critical for initial live operations. This included elements of Management Information Systems, performance of system at maximum loading and elements of workflow management. The Programme Board accepted this recommendation and on 6 March 2002 advised my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Bradley) as the minister with responsibility for the CRB at the time.
	A copy of the evaluation produced from the testing prior to launch cannot be placed in the Library because the details are commercially sensitive and as such cannot be divulged. I refer to Section 13 of the Code of Practice to Government Information 1997 (Part II), which concerns information including commercial confidences, trade secrets or intellectual property whose unwarranted disclosure would harm the competitive position of a third party.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) planned and (b) actual completion dates are for each of the stages in the planning and implementation of the electronic-based application route for criminal record checks.

Paul Goggins: Electronic applications to register with the Criminal Records Bureau were originally expected to be available in August 2001. However, to keep in line with high level disclosures, the implementation date was postponed until 11 March 2002. It was subsequently agreed to move the planned implementation date for electronic based applications to 30 September 2002.
	On 6 September 2002, my right hon .Friend, the Home Secretary announced the appointment of an Independent Review Team (IRT) meaning the implementation of the electronic based application route was put on hold to await their findings.
	One of the recommendations of the IRT was to introduce a Web-based application system and this features as part of the current renegotiations of the contract with Capita. It is too early to speculate what the outcome of the contract renegotiations will be and the attendant effect on the completion date of the electronic application route.

Dangerous Driving

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted for causing death by dangerous driving in 2002; and what the average length of the sentence imposed was.

Paul Goggins: Information for 2001 (latest available) is given in the table. Figures for 2002 are due to be published at the end of this year.
	
		Number of persons(17) prosecuted at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for the offence of 'causing death by dangerous driving(18) by result, England and Wales 2001
		
			  
		
		
			 Number of persons proceeded against in the magistrates' court 272 
			 Total persons found guilty at all courts 227 
			 Of which given immediate custody(19) 193 
			 Average custodial sentence length (months) 39.0 
		
	
	(17) Based on principal offence only. (A defendant is recorded only once for each set of court proceedings against the principal offence involved).
	(18) An offence under the Road Traffic Act 1999, sec. 1 as amended by the Road Traffic Act 1991, sec. 1.
	(19) Included unsuspended imprisonment, detention in a young offender institution, detention and training orders, and at the Crown Court secs 9092 of the powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000.

Deportations

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people of Chechen origin were deported from the UK to the Russian Federation in the last 12 months for which figures are available; to which destinations they were sent; and how many were sent to each destination;
	(2)  how many people were deported from the UK to the Russian Federation in the last 12 months for which figures are available; to which destinations they were sent; and how many were sent to each destination.

Beverley Hughes: Information on the number of people deported from the United Kingdom to the Russian Federation, including those of Chechen origin, and on the destinations to which they were deported, is not available except by examination of individual case files which would incur disproportionate cost.

Deportations

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who have been deported from the UK in each of the last three years have returned to the UK within (a) one month and (b) one year.

Beverley Hughes: Information on the number of people who, having been removed from the United Kingdom, subsequently returned is not available.

Deportations

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who are married to UK citizens have been deported from the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: Information on the number of people removed from the United Kingdom who are married to United Kingdom citizens is not available except by examination of individual case files, this would be at disproportionate cost.
	Deportations are a specific subset of removals alongside persons subject to administrative removal, removal due to illegal entry action or those refused entry at port and subsequently removed.

Illegal Entrants

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the steps that he has taken (a) to detect illegal entry at British ports and (b) to deter illegal entrants at French and Belgian ports in the last three years.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 22 May 2003
	A number of measures have been introduced over the period in question to detect and deter illegal entrants both in the UK and at ports abroad. These have included:
	Changing the law on people smuggling (by means of the Immigration  Asylum Act 1999), increasing the maximum penalty for facilitating illegal entry to 14 years;
	Introducing (and subsequently amending) civil penalty provisions in order to encourage road hauliers to take appropriate measures to prevent unauthorised persons travelling to the UK in their vehicles. Combined with the potential liability of sea carriers to carriers' liability charges the Civil Penalty has also encouraged port authorities and sea carriers to take measures to improve their security, including the searching of vehicles;
	Obtaining a Memorandum of Understanding with the French and Belgian authorities to further the exchange of intelligence and joint working to disrupt the flows of illegal immigrants;
	Securing a similar agreement with the French which has ensured close collaboration in the fight against cross channel organised immigration crime;
	Co-ordinating all activity against people smugglers through a multi-agency task force, which brings together the combined expertise of the National Crime Squad, National Criminal Intelligence Service, Immigration Service, police forces, the intelligence community and a range of government departments;
	Deploying new detection technology, including gamma x-ray scanners at Dover;
	Securing agreement with the French government for the deployment at Calais of new detection equipment, including thermal imaging and acoustic sensors to help detect people illegally concealed in vehicles and containers and prevent them embarking for the United Kingdom;
	Obtaining the agreement of the French authorities for the closure of the Sangatte Refugee Centre;
	Concluding agreements with the governments of France and Belgium for the deployment of the new detection technology at other ports in northern continental Europe;
	Establishing juxtaposed immigration controls operated by the UK and French authorities at Waterloo and Coquelles, later extended to Paris and Lille;
	Negotiating a Treaty with the French authorities to extend juxtaposed controls to other French ports, including Calais;
	Agreeing with the Belgian authorities and carrying out pre-clearance operations at Brussels, which have proved highly successful in denying the passage of possible illegals to the United Kingdom.
	These measures have all been implemented as part of an over-arching strategy to develop a more intelligence led control and to concentrate on intake reduction by preventing potential illegal entrants from travelling to the UK.

Illegal Entrants

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to renegotiate the bilateral agreement with France concerning illegal immigrants which lapsed in 1997.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The 1995 Anglo-French 'Gentleman's Agreement' continues to apply to illegal entrants who arrive from France and did not lapse in 1997. It was the agreement's application to asylum seekers that ceased in that year, upon entry into force of the Dublin Convention, as had always been agreed by both parties.
	It is generally accepted that the Dublin Convention has not worked as well as had been hoped. However, it is to be replaced by the Dublin II Regulation in September this year. This instrument represents a notable improvement on the existing asylum transfer arrangements and encourages Member States to arrange bilateral agreements in order to facilitate the mechanism.
	Flanked by the Eurodac fingerprint database, which is already operational, the UK will be able to effect the return of a greater number of asylum seekers to the Member States most responsible for their presence on EU territory.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the responsibilities are of the Management of Detained Casework Unit within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Leeds; what its objectives are for the coming 12 months; and whether it processes the cases of all those detained by the Immigration Service.

Beverley Hughes: The Management of Detained Cases Unit (MODCU) has the following broad responsibilities:
	To review at 28 days, and monthly thereafter, the matter of detention in cases detained by the Immigration Service under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 of the Immigration Act 1971.
	To complete casework actions on cases involving substantive asylum claimants who have entered long-term detention, and to progress those cases whereappeal rights have been exhausted towards removal from the United Kingdom.
	To allocate removal centre beds for family detention, and to closely monitor these cases.
	Cases may become the responsibility of MODCU at various stages in the process, but with a few exceptions MODCU is generally concerned only with those cases where removal cannot be effected quickly.
	MODCU does not process the cases of all those detained by the Immigration Service. For example, cases that can be resolved following relatively short periods of detention remain the responsibility of the ports or local enforcement offices. Cases of those foreign nationals who have been convicted by the courts after committing criminal offences are processed by the Criminal Casework Team (CCT), which is based in Croydon.
	MODCU's objectives for the year 200304 are to:
	develop strategies for optimum use of the removal estate;
	prioritise cases entering long-term detention, allocate removal centre space for family removals, and manage detained family cases;
	remove barriers to removal in long-term detained asylum
	cases; and
	review the detention of those cases held under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 of the Immigration Act 1971.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which port, enforcement office, casework directorate, or similar unit within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate is responsible for authorising the discharge, when appropriate, of persons subject to immigration control from (a) Her Majesty's Prison, Liverpool and (b) prisons in general; and what the (i) telephone and (ii) fax numbers are that legal representatives of those detained should use in order to contact the units concerned.

Beverley Hughes: Foreign nationals who have been convicted of a criminal offence and who are subject to deportation action following their conviction(s) are dealt with by the Criminal Casework Team in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). To be subject to deportation action the Secretary of State would have either acted on a court's recommendation or decided that deportation would be conducive to the public good.
	In these cases it would be the Criminal Casework Teamin IND who would consider whether the subject should be detained under immigration powers beyond the end of the custodial sentence. When a subject is to be detained he/she is automatically sent a reasons for detention letter from the above team giving the reasons for any continued detention. This clearly states Criminal Casework Team's address, telephone and fax number.
	Criminal Casework Team
	4th Floor (West)
	Block B
	Whitgift Centre
	CROYDON CR9 1AT
	Telephone Hotline: 020 8760 4072
	Fax: 020 8760 4290
	In cases where the subject is held in prison purely on immigration grounds either as an overstayer, illegal entrant or as a Port case who are not subject to deportation action the subject's continued detention would be considered by the Local Enforcement Office (LEO) that detained them up to 28 days after the initial detention. The case is then normally passed to the Management of Detained Cases Unit (MODCU) who continue monitoring detention.
	MODCU
	Waterside Court
	Kirkstall Road
	LEEDS
	WEST YORKSHIRE
	LS42QB
	Telephone Number: 0113 386 5780
	Fax: 0113 386 5855

Migrant Workers

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances lower skilled migrants admitted under new schemes to alleviate labour shortages in the food processing and hospitality sectors will be permitted to remain in the United Kingdom for longer than 12 months.

Beverley Hughes: Those entering the United Kingdom under the new Sector-Based Scheme will be permitted to stay for up to 12 months. No further extension of stay as a Sectors-Based Scheme work permit holder will be given beyond this point. Subject to meeting the relevant criteria, applicants may switch in-country into full Work Permit employment.

Migrant Workers

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been taken to raise awareness of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme in countries outside the European Union.

Beverley Hughes: The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme guidance and application form appear on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Work Permits UK and UKVisas websites. A booklet, including the guidance and application form, has been issued to all British Missions abroad and they are generally on public display inside the Entry Clearance Offices. In addition Press Notices concerning the Programme have generated coverage in the media overseas.

Mr. S. Al Assadi

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a decision about the application for naturalisation by Mr. S. Al Assadi, ref: A1078595, will be made.

Beverley Hughes: A decision cannot be reached until the inquiries, which are undertaken to ensure that the statutory requirements for naturalisation have been met, are completed. I am unable to say how long these inquiries are likely to take: it may, however, be some months.

Offender Assessment

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress with the Offender Assessment System; and what discussions he has had with police and prosecution services on implementation.

Paul Goggins: We are making good progress with the implementation of the Offender Assessment System (OASys). In the National Probation Service (NPS), all areas have either implemented or are in the process of implementing OASys. The majority have already rolled out a paper based system and NPS are in the process of rolling out the IT system. The IT rollout is a stepped approach with areas about to receive release two of a four phase IT programme. The Prison Service began piloting a computer-based system in April 2003, with an 18 month rolling programme of implementation across the prison estate starting in June 2003.
	Criminal justice agencies have been kept regularly informed of the development and implementation of OASys. Probation areas have held discussions locally with criminal justice agencies, including the police and Crown Prosecution Service as part of the phased implementation.

Passport Agency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 15 May, Official Report, column 436W, on the Passport Agency, if he will make it his policy for all passports posted by the Passport Agency back to the customer to be posted by recorded delivery.

Beverley Hughes: The UK Passport Service is currently considering options for moving towards secure delivery arrangements for all passports posted back to customers. Expressions of interest to tender for the provision of a service which meets this requirement were invited through an advertisement published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEC). The closing date for responses was the end of May 2003. All of the responses received have now been considered and formal invitations to tender will be issued by 6 June 2003. The tenders are expected to be evaluated and a decision made on the award of a contract by mid-August 2003. It is envisage that the solution would be implemented in November 2003.
	The provision of any form of secure delivery has cost implications which cannot be met solely through the existing passport fee. It is therefore likely that the introduction of a secure delivery system will be linked to an increase in the passport fee.

Positive Action for Young People Fund

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Positive Action for Young People fund; and how it will benefit young people in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	The Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) programme is designed to divert and develop those young people aged 819 most at risk of social exclusion and committing crime. It is being delivered across England from May 2003 to March 2006. 25 million funding is available for the first year of the programme. This funding will deliver a minimum of 22,000 full time places (this being from midday to 9 pm on each day of the school holidays). Provision will take place in all of the school holiday periods. In addition to the activities one-to-one support is available for the most at risk young people.
	In Middlesborough, South and Cleveland, East areas PAYP is being delivered by Connexions Tees Valley. They have received a funding allocation of 279,000. They are working closely with local partners to ensure that areas of greatest need have appropriate provision and are consulting young people about the types of activities to offer. They are also working closely with local agencies to identify the young people to target under the programme.

Prisons (Drugs)

Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, 
	(1)  how many detoxifications of prisoners took place in health care centres in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the average length of time for a detoxification of a drug abuser in prison has been in the last five years; and what the (a) longest and (b) shortest times have been;
	(3)  what co-ordinated prison services address the needs of prisoners with dual diagnoses;
	(4)  what information he has collated on the numbers of prisoners with dual diagnoses.

Paul Goggins: Information on how many detoxifications of prisoners took place in health care centres in each of the last five years is not available in the form requested. Prison Service establishments reported that 41,916 drug and alcohol detoxifications were carried out between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2002.
	'Changing the Outlook, a Strategy for Developing and Modernising Mental Health Services in Prisons' (December 2001) emphasises that service development in prisons must take account of, and link in with, other established programmes for the clinical management of substance misusers and other drug treatment or rehabilitation programmes. The planned devolution of responsibility for commissioning prison health services to Primary Care Trusts by April 2006 will enable the development of a more co-ordinated approach to the planning and delivery of health services to prisoners. This should, in turn, help support achievement of these elements of the mental health strategy.
	Information on the average length of time for the detoxification of a drug abuser in prison has been in the last five years is not available in the form requested. The current practice is to recommend nine to 10 day programmes for the clinical management of opiate withdrawal and seven-day programmes in respect of alcohol. All such recommended timescales are kept under review in the light of developments in clinical practice.
	Detailed information about the co-occurrence of substance misuse and mental disorder can be found in Chapter five of Substance misuse among prisoners in England and Walesfurther analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics survey of psychiatric morbidity among prisoners in England and Wales carried out on behalf of the Department of Health, published by the Office for National Statistics in 1999.
	The survey indicated that 19 per cent. remanded men, 12 per cent. sentenced men, 21 per cent. remanded women and 15 per cent. sentenced women had four or more of the disorders surveyed (personality disorder, psychosis, neurosis, drug dependence and alcohol misuse).

Prisons (Drugs)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what programmes are available to (a) assess and (b) treat the drug and alcohol addictions of (i) staff and (ii) inmates at each classification of prison and offenders institution in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: When a member of staff is recognised as having a drink or drug related problem the Prison Service will offer assistance and guidance on appropriate remedial action. We will support and encourage staff who acknowledge their problem. Our Staff Care and Welfare Service will offer basic counselling and staff will be treated through the NHS facilities where appropriate. However, staff are expected to cooperate constructively and continue with remedial action to overcome their problem.
	A comprehensive range of measures is available to prisoners to address the needs of drug misusers with the needs of alcohol users determined much more on a local basis.
	Detoxification services are available in all local prisons and remand centres for alcohol and other drugs. The Counselling Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARAT) service which deals also with alcohol as part of poly-drug use is available to all prisoners in England and Wales; and intensive rehabilitation programmes are available in 60 establishments.

Prisons (Drugs)

Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many of those in rehabilitation and treatment completed the programmes in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many detoxified prisoners received follow-up, and of what kind, in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many CARATS initial assessments led to the full process of counselling, assessment, referral, advice and through care in each year for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: Information on how many prisoners who undertook rehabilitation and treatment completed the programmes in each of the last five years is not available centrally. The Prison Service is looking to see what additional monitoring arrangements might be put in place.
	Data are not available to show which services were accessed by prisoners following their initial assessment by the Counselling Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARAT) service or on the follow-up services accessed by those who have been detoxified. However, a recent survey showed that 41 per cent. of prisoners who had accessed the CARAT service had received detoxification.

Prisons

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown by ethnic origin of (a) prisoners of British nationality and (b) all prisoners in each prison in England and Wales for each year between 1997 and 2002.

Paul Goggins: The numbers of (a) prisoners of British nationality and (b) all prisoners in each prison in England and Wales, broken down by ethnic group, for each year between 1997 and 2002 has been placed in the Library.

Public Protection Panels

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the introduction of multi-agency public protection panels; and what relationship these panels have to youth offending trials, and crime division activities.

Paul Goggins: Consolidated Guidance on the further development of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (the MAPPA) was issued under provision contained in Section 67(6) of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000). In support of this Guidance and the development it is designed to underpin, the National Probation Directorate is delivering a series of workshops with a cross-section of police and probation Areas in England and Wales this summer.
	An important part of the development of the MAPPA is strengthening the relationships with other agencies and arrangements, including local Area Child Protection Committees and the Crime and Disorder Partnerships. The Criminal Justice Bill will assist this development by imposing a duty to co-operate with the MAPPA on a number of agencies, including social services and youth offending teams. Once the Bill has been enacted further additions to the consolidated Guidance will be issued.

Recidivism

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what incentives are given to private operators of prisons to reduce the rate of recidivism of the inmates they are responsible for.

Paul Goggins: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave her on 6 May 2003, Official Report, column 607W.

Resettlement System

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish a resettlement system for citizens of Iraq in the United Kingdom in the process of applying for asylum or leave to remain.

Beverley Hughes: We are consulting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration, refugee sector non-gobernmental organisations and Iraqi communities in the United Kingdom on the type of programmes that will be appropriate for an Iraqi Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. No decisions regarding the exact nature of the resettlement system that might be offered has yet been made.
	We are working actively to ensure that Iraqis can be assisted to return voluntarily to their homeland as soon as practicable. Many Iraqis in the United Kingdom have skills, which will be of value to the reconstruction of Iraq. The government is committed to helping clear the way for them to do so.

Resettlement System

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a resettlement grant system was set up for Afghanistan; and how many Afghan citizens resident in the United Kingdom have benefitted from the grant.

Beverley Hughes: The Return to Afghanistan Programme, under which resettlement grants are made, commenced 20 August 2002 for six months. This has been extended and the current end date is 19 August 2003. As of 31 March 2003 38 Afghans have benefitted from the grant.

Roma

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the (a) human rights and (b) equal rights of citizens of Roma ethnic minorities living in EU applicant states; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The Country Information and Policy Unit in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) closely monitors the situation of the Roma minorities in the EU accession states.
	Circumstances for Roma are difficult in a number of countries in central and eastern Europe, partly for reasons of societal prejudice and partly because of discriminatory treatment in various forms and to varying degrees. Governments in the EU accession states have enacted legislation and implemented programmes to improve circumstances for their minority communities and for Roma in particular.
	Human Rights and equality issues with respect to Roma vary from country to country. This is reflected in the Country Assessments and Operational Guidance Notes produced by IND to provide guidance to those involved in decision making on asylum applications. These documents are available on the Home Office website.
	The EU accession states have all been designated under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 as ones from which in general terms there is no serious risk of persecution. The Government is satisfied that the treatment of Roma will not in general amount to persecution and moreover that the states authorities in general provide sufficient protection.

Roma

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of citizens from the Roma ethnic minorities in applicant states to the European Union who may seek residence in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Research conducted by University College London for the Home Office, which will be published on 5 June, suggests that the numbers of people who will migrate to the UK from the new Member States after enlargement will not be significant.
	This research corroborates a number of other independent studies which have looked at the scale of migration flows after enlargement. These have been summarised in reports by the European Commission in 2000 and the former Department for Education and Employment in 1999.
	None of this research has been able to predict exact numbers expected from specific countries or ethnic groups to the UK. However, enlargement should improve the quality of life for all citizens in the new Member States as their governments must enforce human rights and minority rights, including protection against racial discrimination, to EU standards before accession and subsequently. EU accession should also improve economic prospects in the new Member States so reducing the incentive for economic migration.

Stranraer and Cairnryan

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions staff from Glasgow Immigration Office have attended Stranraer and Cairnryan ports to process asylum applications made there.

Beverley Hughes: Immigration staff from Glasgow have not attended Stranraer or Cairnryan ports solely to process asylum seekers. At those times since January 2001, when Immigration Officers have been in attendance, they have operated in support of Police controls operated by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, from whom suspected immigration offenders are referred. Any person who claims asylum during such enquiries is initially processed by the Immigration Service within police accommodation at Stranraer Police Station.
	1 January 200031 December 2000 Immigration Officers attended the Port of Stranraer on 56 occasions during this period (two Officers each time).
	1 January 200131 December 2001 Immigration Officers attended the Port of Stranraer on 131 occasions during this period (two Officers each time).
	1 January 200231 December 2002 Immigration Officers attended the Port of Stranraer on 215 occasions during this period (two Officers each time).
	2003
	Immigration Officers have not attended the Port of Stranraer during this period.

Stranraer and Cairnryan

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department last discussed immigration officer resources available at Stranraer and Cairnryan ports with staff from (a) the Scottish Executive and (b) Dumfries and Galloway police.

Beverley Hughes: As Immigration matters are a reserved issue, there is currently no official channel for discussion of Immigration Service resource allocation with the Scottish Executive. Regular contact between the Immigration Service and Dumfries and Galloway Police is maintained through representation on the Stranraer Ports Forum.

Stranraer and Cairnryan

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reallocate resources to create a permanent immigration office in Wigtownshire to cover Stranraer and Cairnryan ports.

Beverley Hughes: Passenger traffic at Stranraer is within the Common Travel Area between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Therefore, it is not designated as a Port of Entry within the provisions of the Immigration Acts. When available, Immigration Service staff operate at Stranraer in support of Police controls operated by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, from whom suspected immigration offenders are referred. Any person so referred is initially processed by the Immigration Service within police accommodation at Stranraer Police Station. Such persons may then be granted temporary release or transferred to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre. As Stranraer and Cairnryan are within the Common Travel Area there is no lawful requirement for having a permanent on-entry Immigration control at Stranraer or Cairnryan.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Subutex

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in which the drug subutex is prescribed for heroin addicts; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Subutex (buprenorphine) is included in the treatment protocols that have been developed in conjunction with NHS services at eight Prison Service establishments (Birmingham, Elmley, High Down, Leeds, Portland young offender institution, Rochester, Stoke Health young offender institution and Swaleside).
	The Prison Service's Standard for Clincal Services for Substance Misusers requires every establishment that receives prisoners from court to have detoxification guidelines in place for at least one of Methadone, Lofexidine, and Dihydrocodeine. It also states that, as new evidence becomes available on the Chemical management of detoxification or abstinence, establishments should develop further treatment guidelines which are in line with those available in the NHS. Prison Health expects the use of subutes in prisons to develop at a similar pace to the growth in its use in the community.

Training

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the number of people in training, (b) the training establishment, (c) the number of full-time equivalent posts vacant and (d) the training budgets in each probation area.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is as follows:
	The total number of trainee probation officers currently stands at 1,470, which is based on Cohort intakes four and five, currently in training. The planned capacity for Cohort six starting this year is 1,100.
	The training establishment is 72, posted within nine separate regional training consortia across England and Wales. They are responsible for the recruitment and the delivery of the Diploma in Probation Studies.
	Figures for the number of full-time equivalent posts vacant within consortia are not available at present, but the number would be insignificant.
	The training budgets for each probation area is shown in the table. This shows the budgets for the total training programme (Cohorts 46).
	
		
			  000 
		
		
			  
			  
			 South East  
			 Hampshire 1,549.0 
			 Kent 1,275.0 
			 Surrey 673.0 
			 Sussex 910.0 
			 Thames Valley 1,204.0 
			 Total 5,61 1.0 
			 East Of England  
			 Bedfordshire 528.0 
			 Cambridgeshire 537.0 
			 Essex 1,304.0 
			 Hertfordshire 989.0 
			 Norfolk 596.0 
			 Suffolk 679.0 
			 Total 4,633.0 
			   
			 South West  
			 Avon and Somerset 1,178.0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,121.0 
			 Dorset 462.0 
			 Gloucestershire 403.0 
			 Wiltshire 443.0 
			 Total 3,607.0 
			   
			 West Midlands  
			 West Mercia 1,174.0 
			 West Midlands 3,865.0 
			 Staffordshire 998.0 
			 Warwickshire 467.0 
			 Total 6,504.0 
			   
			 East Midlands  
			 Derbyshire 957.0 
			 Lincolnshire 649.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,273.0 
			 Leicestershire 1,137.0 
			 Northamptonshire 630.0 
			 Total 4,646.0 
			   
			 North East  
			 Durham 732.0 
			 Northumbria 2,042.0 
			 Teeside 912.0 
			 Total 3,686.0 
			   
			 North West  
			 Cumbria 568.0 
			 Lancashire 1,929.0 
			 Cheshire 1,053.0 
			 Greater Manchester 3,023.0 
			 Merseyside 2,131.0 
			 Total 8,704.0 
			   
			 Yorkshire and Humberside  
			 West Yorkshire 2,896.0 
			 Humberside 1,175.0 
			 North Yorkshire 738.0 
			 South Yorkshire 1,821.0 
			 Total 6,630.0 
			   
			 Wales  
			 Dyfed-Powys 408.0 
			 Gwent 607.0 
			 North Wales 814.0 
			 South Wales 2,013.0 
			 Total 3,842.0 
			   
			 London  
			 Greater London 9,380.0 
			   
			 Grand Total 57,243.0

Visa Applications

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the forms of visa available to persons who wish to come to the UK; and how many, broken down by category, have been granted in each of the last four years.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 22 May 2003
	Data are not available for each of the last four years on the number of visas that have been issued to persons wishing to come to the United Kingdom in each of the categories allowed for in the Immigration Rules. It is not possible to obtain this information, except at disproportionate cost.
	The table summarises the number of entry clearance applications to the United Kingdom which have been granted for temporary purposes, such as tourists and students and for settlement, between 1997 and 2000.
	
		
			 Year Granted for temporary purposes Granted for settlement 
		
		
			 1997 1,243,450 40,320 
			 1998 1,255,915 47,540 
			 1999 1,313,120 46,000 
			 2000 1,424,880 54,505 
		
	
	More recent data on entry clearance applications are not yet available. Entry clearance is an inclusive term which covers entry certificates (for non visa nationals) and family permits (for EEA nationals), as well as visas (for visa nationals).

Voluntary Organisations

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding programmes are operated by his Department to support voluntary organisations working with young people; and what the level of support has been over the last three years.

Beverley Hughes: Our funding programmes do not specifically target support for voluntary organisations working with young people. The Active Community Unit funds a number of national/voluntary and community umbrella bodies many of which will support organisations that work with young people. We do not, however, routinely collect information on the level of funding for such work.
	The programmes listed in the table are open to all voluntary and community organisations but include substantial support for those involved in youth projects.
	
		000
		
			 Programme 200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 Drugs Strategy   507 
			 Positive Futures 897 897 1,423 
			 Youth Justice  350 2,770

Work Permits

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits to enter and work in the UK have been applied for in each of the last 24 months; and how many have been granted in each of the last 24 months.

Beverley Hughes: Between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2003 Work Permits considered a total of 331,277 applications for work permits, of which 297,331 were approved. The following table provides a monthly breakdown of the number of work permits approved and refused during that period:
	
		
			 Month Approved Refused Total Numberof Applications 
		
		
			 2001
			 April 10,595 673 11,268 
			 May 12,453 669 13,122 
			 June 12,674 696 13,370 
			 July 12,682 832 13,514 
			 August 12,439 1,005 13,444 
			 September 10,701 933 11,634 
			 October 12,288 1,012 13,300 
			 November 10,865 797 11,662 
			 December 9,014 831 9,845 
			 January 12,493 1,178 13,671 
			 February 10,917 1,287 12,204 
			 March 12,452 1,527 13,979 
			 2002
			 April 13,627 1,560 15,187 
			 May 14,301 1,363 15,664 
			 June 12,223 1,068 13,291 
			 July 15,499 1,466 16,965 
			 August 13,860 1,431 15,291 
			 September 13,239 1,639 14,878 
			 October 13,439 2,351 15,790 
			 November 1 1 ,778 2,093 13,871 
			 December 10,615 1,728 12,343 
			 January 13,117 2,543 15,660 
			 February 11,818 2,730 14,548 
			 March 14,242 2,534 16,776 
			 Total 297,331 33,946 331,277

Young Offenders

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders in England and Wales, subject to supervision orders, are in residential institutions in Scotland.

Paul Goggins: The supervision order is a community sentence available in England and Wales which places the offender under the supervision of a youth offending team, and can also require offenders to live in local authority accommodation or undergo treatment in a mental health institution. We do not hold information centrally on how many offenders made subject to these requirements are resident in institutions in Scotland. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT

Airport Capacity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures have been taken to ensure that proposals for the expansion of airports in the south east take into account the findings of his Department's multi-modal studies for the eastern region.

David Jamieson: Recommendations on the multi-modal studies in the East of England will be submitted to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, shortly after the airports consultation closes on 30 June.
	This will allow consideration of these recommendations before final decisions on airport capacity issues are taken. These will be set out in the air transport White Paper which we plan to publish later this year.

Airport Capacity

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses he has received on his consultative document on the future of air transport in the United Kingdom; and when he expects to publish conclusions following the end of the consulting process.

David Jamieson: We have already received over 100,000 responses to the consultation from across the UK, and we expect to receive many more by 30 June. We shall take careful account of the responses, together with the appraisals we have published, in deciding on the policies to be set out in the White Paper.
	Consultation on The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom ends on 30 June. The Government plan to issue a White Paper by the end of the year which will provide a strategic policy framework for future airport development.

Airport Capacity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which airports were excluded from the consultation on additional capacity and for what reasons.

David Jamieson: Studies supporting the on-going Future Development of Air Transport national consultation considered a wide range of possible airport development options at existing airports and potential new sites. Options were selected using the appraisal criteria established for the process. Reports relating to this process have been published.
	Runway options for Gatwick airport, which had not been included in the July consultation, were subsequently presented in a second edition of the South East consultation document, published in February, following a High Court judgment in November 2002.
	It is open to consultees to submit alternative ideas for consideration.

Airport Capacity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether an assessment of the (a) environmental and (b) health impact of the expansion of an existing airport will be undertaken before that airport is identified for expansion in any forthcoming White Paper following the current consultation.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 22 May 2003, Official Report, column 938W. A full range of environmental impacts have been examined and will be taken into account before decisions are reached.

Airport Capacity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures have been taken to ensure that the review of airport capacity across the UK takes into account the economic development goals of each region.

David Jamieson: The compatibility of airport development options with published regional strategies was considered in the studies informing The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom consultation.
	This analysis will be further informed by responses to the consultation. All responses will be considered carefully before final decisions are taken. These will be set out in the air transport White Paper which we plan to publish later this year.

Airport Capacity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account will be taken of the recent downturn in the airline industry when considering future policy on airport capacity.

David Jamieson: Future policy on the provision of airport capacity will be informed by our published forecasts of demand for air transport services. These forecasts are long-term in nature and necessarily consider the aviation industry in the round. Some parts of the industry have been adversely affected recently by a downturn in global demand. Other sectors, such as the no-frills carriers, have performed well over the same period. Demand will always be subject to short-term fluctuations, but overall we remain confident that our forecasts for the next 30 years are robust.

Airport Capacity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the cost of the extra infrastructure to meet the volume of road and rail traffic generated by his proposals for the expansion of airport capacity in the South East;
	(2)  what research has been carried out into the capabilities to cope with increased volumes of traffic of existing road and rail infrastructure serving each airport identified for expansion in the current review of airport capacity.

David Jamieson: The South East and East of England Regional Air Services Study (SERAS) included a costed appraisal of the road and rail infrastructure that would be needed for different airport development options. This included an assessment of the type and scale of improvements that might be required on the strategic network.
	The results are summarised for each of the options in The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East (second edition) main consultation document. Further details are contained in the SERAS stage two appraisal findings report and supporting documents. Copies of all reports are available in the House Libraries.

British Airports Authority

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent European Court of Justice ruling on takeovers on the British Airports Authority.

David Jamieson: We are examining the Court's judgment carefully to assess the implications for the special share that the Government hold in BAA plc.

10-year Transport Plan

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress his Department has made towards meeting the goals set out within the 10-year transport plan.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the progress report, 'Delivering Better Transport: Progress Report', published in December, which set out in detail what has been achieved since the plan came into effect in April 2001. Some more recent information is also included in the Department's Annual Report 2003, published in May.

A27 Lewes Bypass

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require an assessment to be made by the Highways Agency of noise pollution in Lewes emanating from the A27 Lewes bypass.

David Jamieson: A detailed noise study of the A27 Lewes Bypass has been carried out and there is no need for a further noise study. The answers previously given on 20 June 2002, Official Report, column 506W and 8 January 2003, Official Report, column 218W still apply.

A46 Laceby Bypass

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents there have been on the A46 Laceby bypass in each of the past 10 years; and how many resulted in fatalities.

David Jamieson: The table shows the number of accidents, by severity, over the last 10 years for the A46 at Laceby (between the junction of the A18 and the B1444):
	
		
			 Year Fatal Serious Slight 
		
		
			 1991 0 2 5 
			 1992 0 2 8 
			 1993 0 4 2 
			 1994 0 3 4 
			 1995 0 3 10 
			 1996 2 7 5 
			 1997 0 4 3 
			 1998 0 2 3 
			 1999 1 1 6 
			 2000 1 4 6 
			 2001 2 4 12

Air Transport

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account has been taken of the protection of tranquility in the countryside in the consultation on the Future Development of Air Transport in the UK.

David Jamieson: The environmental appraisal supporting the consultation took account of the impacts on tranquillity of any future airport development. Closely related environmental impacts, including noise and air quality impacts, were also appraised. The consultation documents, together with supporting background documents, explain the environmental appraisal and key impacts. The consultation documents also invite views on measures for managing environmental impacts. All consultation responses will be considered carefully before final decisions are made in the air transport White paper, which we aim to publish later this year.

Animal Road Deaths

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what record is kept of animal road kills.

David Jamieson: No central record is kept of animals killed on the roads.

Bridgwater Station

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had on the future of Bridgwater station.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority is responsible for promoting and securing the development of the rail network, including stations. The SRA has not had any discussions about the future of Bridgwater railway station.

Buses

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on changes in bus reliability, quality and passenger satisfaction since 1997.

David Jamieson: The Department has been publishing a quarterly statistical Bulletin on Bus Quality Indicators since 2000. The Bulletin monitors progress in meeting commitments made at the Bus Summit in November 1999, where the Deputy Prime Minister and bus industry representatives agreed a number of quality targets to be met by bus operators. The publication is available on the Department's web site at: http://www.transtat.dft.gov.uk/qbullets/qbus.htm. It is also held in the Library.

Cloned Cars

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cloned cars have been found in each police authority region in each of the last five years; and what steps his Department is taking to tackle cloned cars.

David Jamieson: Statistics on the number of vehicles reported to police forces as having been cloned in each of the last five years are not available.
	Evidence from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems suggests that cloning is being used by a small minority of motorists to evade fines and charges. In order to combat the problem and prevent people obtaining number plates to which they are not entitled, we have introduced measures to tighten up on the supply of plates. Since 1 January, all suppliers of number plates have been required to register with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and to keep records of sales. Purchasers of plates are required to produce evidence of their identity as well as the vehicle's registration document.
	We are now working on measures to make number plates more secure and to ensure that they can be clearly and visibly linked to the vehicle on which they are displayed. A consultation paper on number plate security will be issued shortly.

Cycling

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to assist councils to encourage the use of bicycles in rural areas.

David Jamieson: The English Regions Cycling Development Team, funded by the Department, is shortly to report on the progress being made by all highway authorities in England to provide facilities for cycling. Their report will identify areas where action is needed to remove barriers to increasing levels of cycling, taking account of the local context, whether rural or urban.
	The Department is also supporting a conference at Nottingham University in September this year on Promoting Cycling in Rural Areas. The Department has jointly funded work with the Countryside Agency for a number of years to promote bike and rail journeys, particularly in areas that are not well served by public transport.

Cycling

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the fitting of (a) bells and (b) other warning devices to all bicycles by (i) owners and (ii) manufacturers and suppliers; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport carried out a public consultation last year into proposed changes to legislation controlling the sale of adult pedal cycles, including making it a requirement for a bell to be fitted prior to sale. Those responding included individual cycle owners, suppliers and manufacturers as well as the Bicycle Association of Great Britain, which represents cycle manufacturers and importers, the Association of Cycle Traders, which represents independent dealers, and the Cyclists' Touring Club which is a national organisation of cyclists.
	As bells have a strong association with bicycles, the consultation did not address the fitting of other warning devices.
	The Pedal Bicycles (Safety) Regulations 2003 were laid before Parliament on 15 April this year.

Cycling

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of (a) his Department's campaign to promote helmet-wearing for teenage cyclists and (b) other strategies and campaigns to promote cycle use.

David Jamieson: Our Road Safety Strategy described the range of activity we are undertaking to make cycling safer, and that does not differentiate between them on grounds of cost and benefit. They all have value and a role to play in helping to reduce cyclist casualties. The strategy addresses the improvement of conditions and infrastructure, driver education, and the measures cyclists can take to protect themselves. As part of that package we said that we would encourage helmet wearing, recognising the evidence that helmets can reduce the severity of head injuries.
	We are principally addressing adolescent boys. That is because the rate of deaths and serious injury for boys is about five times that of girls, and the 12 to 15- year age group accounts for about 60 per cent. of deaths and serious injury among boys. We also know that the early indications from the 2002 wearing rate survey is that while generally rates have gone up from 16 per cent. in 1994 to 25 per cent. in 2002, for boys, the rate has decreased from 16 per cent. to 12 per cent. So we need to draw their attention to the potential safety benefits of cycle helmets, and the publicity material has been tested with the teenage audience to ensure that they will be receptive to it.

Cycling

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the possibility of increased injury risk to cyclists wearing helmets as a result of diffuse axonal injury or subdural haematoma caused by rotational rather than linear impacts to the head.

David Jamieson: The Department has made no assessment of these specific injury mechanisms. When accident data were collected by the Transport Research Laboratory in the early 1990's those cyclists wearing helmets did not have any head injuries. Those that did sustain a brain injury were not wearing helmets.
	A recent independent review of the literature, commissioned by my Department, critically assessed a number of studies to consider the effect of bicycle helmets on head, brain, facial and neck injuries to cyclists. The report concluded thatBicycle helmets have been found to be effective at reducing the incidence and severity of head, brain and upper facial injuries. Bicycle helmets have been found to be effective in reducing injury for users of all ages, though particularly for children. Results of this review are available on the Department for Transport website.

Cycling

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relative involvement rate, per kilometre cycled, of (a) helmeted and (b) unhelmeted cyclists in accidents which result in head injuries in the last three years.

David Jamieson: Our current data do not record information on whether or not cyclists were wearing helmets and therefore do not allow an assessment of this nature. However, the Bicycle Helmet Initiative Trust has been running a cycle helmet promotion scheme in Reading since 1992. Their data show that during that time cycle helmet use by children has trebled and there has been a 45 per cent. reduction in the number of hospital treated head injuries, although no data on changes in cycling levels were recorded.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to encourage international airlines to contribute towards the World Health Organisation's funding of research into deep vein thrombosis and air travel.

David Jamieson: When planning the research the World Health Organisation decided not to seek funding from the airline industry to avoid any possible conflict of interest.

Departmental Budget

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate his departmental underspend in the financial year 200203, broken down by (a) resource and (b) capital expenditure and consumption of resource type; and where this underspend has been or will be allocated.

David Jamieson: My Department's estimated outturn relative to final provision for Resource and Capital DELs is shown in Tables 2.4 and 2.5 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2003 (Cm 5901).
	I expect the Department's final outturn to be very close to budget. No decisions have yet been taken on the allocation of any underspend from 200203.

Departmental Contracts

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made (a) of the environmental impact and (b) against sustainable development criteria of the bids made for (i) contracts and (ii) grants awarded by his Department; who makes such assessment; and whether these assessments are published.

David Jamieson: The standard conditions of contract used by my Department require contractors to provide goods and services in accordance with the Department's environmental policy. Where relevant, contractors' compliance with this requirement is assessed as part of the tender evaluation process, and subsequently as part of the contract management process. Details of the assessment of individual tenders against environmental requirements are not normally published.
	In the case of grants, all requests for capital grants are subject to assessment by the Department which encompasses the principles of sustainable development. These assessments are not normally published.

Departmental Staff

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff were employed in his and his predecessor's Department on functions relating to transport (a) full time and (b) part time, broken down by (i) units and (ii) divisions in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport has only been in existence since May 2002.
	The following table shows the breakdown of staff for Department for Transport (excluding Agencies).
	The bold highlights are the Unit names and the divisions are listed under each unit.
	
		
			 Unit Full Time Part Time Head Count 
		
		
			 Driver Vehicle Operator 13 0 13 
			 Marine Accidents Investigation 23 1 24 
			 Air Accidents Investigation 42 1 43 
			 Mobility  Inclusion Unit 30 4 34 
			 Business Delivery Services 236 25 261 
			 Legal 50 9 59 
			 Private Office 43 0 43 
			 Total 437 40 477 
			 
			  Railways, Aviation, Logistics, Maritime  Transport Group 
			 Aviation 91 5 96 
			 Logistics  Maritime 167 13 180 
			 Railways 68 5 73 
			 Transport Security 87 4 91 
			 Total 413 27 440 
			 Strategy, Finance  Delivery Group 
			 Strategy  Delivery 84 5 89 
			 Technology  Planning 10 0 10 
			 Communication 58 4 62 
			 Finance 53 2 55 
			 Transport Analysis  Economics 53 6 59 
			 Total 258 17 275 
			 
			  Roads, Regional  Local Transport Group 
			 Integrated  Local Transport 101 8 109 
			 Regional Transport 16 2 18 
			 Road Transport 152 9 161 
			 Total 269 19 288 
			 
			 Grand Totals 1,377 103 1,480

Drink Driving

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of drink driving laws; and what plans he has to amend them.

David Jamieson: The number of people killed and seriously injured in drink-related collisions has fallen significantly since the introduction of drink-driving laws in the 1960s. The effectiveness of these controls is monitored regularly.
	The Government consider that enforcement of the law is a key priority for reducing drink-driving casualties. To that end, we are planning to strengthen the police's powers to enable them to carry out evidential breath testing at the roadside. We have also announced our intention to increase penalties for those found guilty of causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs and for repeat drink-drive offenders.

Driving Licences

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 14 May 2003, Official Report, column 245W, on driving licences, how many claims he received in each of the last five years for driving licences lost in the post having been sent by the DVLA.

David Jamieson: DVLA does not meet any financial claims for lost licences. However, when notified that a driving licence has not been delivered safely, DVLA will issue a free replacement, provided this is within three months of despatch. Beyond this timescale an application for a duplicate is appropriate.
	During the financial year 200102, 175 free replacement driving licences were provided.

Driving Licences

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his Written Ministerial Statement of 7 May 2003, Official Report, columns 3132WS, on driving licences, what estimates he has made of the number of people who will be eligible to reclaim for (a) car licence applications and (b) lorry and bus licence applications.

David Jamieson: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) estimates that there are approximately 200,000 drivers overall who may be eligible for a refund. Of these approximately 125,000 will be car licence holders and approximately 75,000 will be lorry and bus licence holders.

Euro

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions he has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when he expects to complete his analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) he and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests.

Alistair Darling: The Treasury's 18 supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are holding meetings with Cabinet Members. There was an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May followed by a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June. The Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June.

Hard Shoulder

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to make use of hard shoulders on motorways and dual carriageways during peak traffic hours; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: A pilot of Active Traffic Management measures between junctions 3A and 7 of the M42 will start in summer 2004. The controlled use of the hard shoulder as a running lane for traffic at peak periods or when there has been an incident will start in summer 2006. We believe that this will help to reduce congestion on this section of the motorway network. Motoring organisations and emergency services have been consulted as part of the preparations.

Highway Maintenance

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of highway maintenance on Britain's road network in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Funding for trunk and local road maintenance in England from 199798 to 200304 is shown in the table. Highway maintenance in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales respectively.
	
		Highway Maintenance Funding in England between 199798 and 200304 -- ( million cash)
		
			 Year Motorways and Trunk Capital Motorways and Trunk Revenue Motorway and Trunk Road Totals Local Roads Revenue Local Roads Capital London Local Roads Capital Transfer to TfL for former Trunk Roads Local Road Totals TOTALS 
		
		
			 199798 410 172 582 1,658 200   1,858 2,440 
			 199899 425 216 641 1,721 247   1,968 2,609 
			 19992000 449 252 701 1,763 309   2,072 2,773 
			 200001 435 237 672 1,859 301   2,160 2,832 
			 200102 421 244 665 1,905 545 32 73 2,555 3,220 
			 200203 426 242 668 1,955 560 n/a 73 2,588 3,256 
			 200304 426 296 722 2,005 610 n/a 73 2,688 3,410 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Local road revenue figures include London throughout.
	2. Other London figures shown separately from 200102.

Hovercraft

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions have taken place with private companies regarding reintroducing a hovercraft link across the Channel.

David Jamieson: None. Reintroducing cross-Channel services would be a matter for the judgment of the companies concerned, within the safety and related requirements of the Merchant Shipping Acts.

Hovercraft

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the benefits of hovercraft travel; and if he will provide assistance to transport companies and allocate funds for the development of hovercraft transport routes.

David Jamieson: No recent assessment has been made of the benefits of hovercraft travel, which would be a matter for the commercial judgement of shipping companies. Hovercraft are regulated for safety and related purposes by the Merchant Shipping Acts.

Integrated Transport Policy

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures his Department has taken to introduce Integrated Policy Appraisal into policy making.

David Jamieson: My Department has, for some time, been involved in the development of integrated policy appraisal. A tool for carrying out such appraisal the Integrated Policy Appraisal Tool (IPA)was developed in the former DETR and forms part of the guidance to policy makers in my Department on better policy making. The tool was used to produce a sustainability assessment to accompany our Spending Round 2002 bid.

Integrated Transport Policy

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what monitoring the Department has undertaken to examine the impact of the Single Capital Pot on the allocation of funding for integrated transport measures.

David Jamieson: Block allocations to local authorities for smaller (less than 5 million) integrated transport and highway maintenance schemes have been made through the Single Capital Pot since its introduction for 200203. Audited local authority expenditure data for that year will not be available until August this year, so there is as yet no firm evidence of its possible impact on authorities' allocation decisions.
	Officials continue to monitor the delivery of local transport objectives through the system of annual progress reports on authorities' Local Transport Plans. The next such reports are to be submitted by the end of July.

Integrated Transport Policy

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the change in local authority transport priorities in relation to major capital projects since the introduction of the Single Capital Pot; and what conclusions have been reached.

David Jamieson: Major transport schemes are not funded through the Single Capital Pot. They are funded through separate ear-marked resources.

KPMG

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts his Department has awarded to KPMG since 1997.

David Jamieson: My Department came into being in May 2002. Since that time the following contracts have been awarded to KPMG:
	Advice on Network Rail business plans and solvency during Railtrack administration. This was a joint award with the Strategic Rail Authority.
	Framework agreement for major projects consultancy services. This was a joint award with several other companies.

Leeds Supertram

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of extending the Leeds Supertram route from Leeds through Leeds, West to Bradford Interchange; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: There are no proposals for such an extension currently before the Department, so no assessment has been made.

Local Authority Funding

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what grants have been made by his Department to local authorities for 200304 in England broken down by local authority; and whether the grant is (a) ring fenced, (b) a specific formula grant, (c) within aggregate external finance and (d) outside aggregate external finance.

David Jamieson: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Mersey Tunnel Toll

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the financial information on tunnel operations provided in the consultation on Mersey Tunnel toll rises.

David Jamieson: The financial information provided by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority in relation to its application to revise the toll charges at the Mersey Tunnels is still being considered; it is, therefore, too early to make an assessment on the adequacy of the information.
	It is likely that the toll revision application will be considered at a public inquiry which will consider all information put before them.

Ministerial Correspondence Unit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport was formed on 29 May 2002. The Ministerial Correspondence Unit has been staffed by 8.5 permanent civil servants. This figure excludes any temporary agency staff that may have worked in the unit over this period.

Motor Vehicle Registration

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the new arrangements in place relating to the supply of vehicle number plates; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The regulatory impact assessment that accompanied the regulations states that
	the effectiveness of the scheme and the extent of the burden on small businesses will be reviewed two years from the date of the commencement order.
	A review of the operation of the new arrangements will accordingly be completed by January 2005. The results of the review and any recommendations for change will be made public.

Motor Vehicle Registration

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received and from whom in respect of the new restrictions imposed this year on the sale and supply of vehicle number plates.

John Spellar: Since the commencement of the register in January this year, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has received telephone inquiries on a daily basis. Most are from number plate suppliers about the detailed operation of the scheme.
	In addition, written representations seeking exemptions from the scheme have been received from the Federation of British Vehicle Clubs and owners of historic vehicles, trailer retailers and distance sellers of number plates. To permit these exemptions would undermine the scheme by providing loopholes for criminals to exploit.

Motor Vehicle Registration

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will exempt pre-1973 motor vehicles from the new rules imposed on the sale and supply of number plates.[R]

John Spellar: This issue was carefully considered prior to the making of the relevant regulations. The theft of historic vehicles is a specialised but lucrative activity. To grant the suggested exemption would deny the protection against vehicle theft that this scheme brings to other motorists.

Motoring Offences

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what record is kept of motoring offences overseas by holders of driving licences of the United Kingdom; and if he will place a copy of the most recent set of such statistics in the Library;
	(2)  what steps (a) have taken place and (b) are planned to reduce the incidences of motoring offences by holders of United Kingdom driving licences while overseas.

David Jamieson: No records are currently kept in this country of motoring offences committed overseas by holders of UK driving licences.
	Motoring laws can vary widely between countries and they are also subject to changes. It would therefore be impractical for the Government to provide definitive and comprehensive advice on compliance for UK licence holders visiting each country.
	In the context of the European Union, the UK actively co-operates with other member states on road safety to promote higher standards and to reduce the risk of accidents due to bad driving. In addition, the Crime (International Co-operation) Bill, which received its second reading in this House on 1 April 2003, includes measures to enable the ratification of the EU Convention on Driving Disqualifications.
	Under the Convention, drivers normally resident in one member state who are disqualified from driving in another member state will also be disqualified in their state of residence. This will tackle the most serious driving offence cases and should act as a significant deterrent to bad driving. DVLA will administer the process in the UK and will have records of UK licence holders disqualified in member states which have ratified the Convention and with whom a bi-lateral agreement has been reached, as well as of non-UK licence holders disqualified in this country.

Motorways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the function of motorway hard shoulders as defined by (a) departmental guidance and (b) legislation.

David Jamieson: There is no departmental guidance on the function of motorway hard shoulders. The Highway Code (Para. 238) states that
	you must not drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by signs. The legislation covering the use of the hard shoulder is the Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982. These do not set out the function of the hard shoulder but describe what it is and under what circumstances it may be used, which are as set out in the Highway Code.

Motorways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been conducted and commissioned (a) by his Department and (b) by the Highways Agency on the effect of hard shoulders on the (i) numbers and (ii) severity of accidents; and what main conclusions were reached by these studies.

David Jamieson: Neither the Department for Transport nor the Highways Agency has conducted or commissioned research on the effect of hard shoulders on the numbers and severity of accidents. However, the Highways Agency has carried out research on hard shoulder discontinuities such as pinch points near bridges resulting from motorway widening schemes. This research has shown that there is no statistically significant difference in accident rates at hard shoulder discontinuities.

Motorways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the motorway hard shoulder running trial will be extended to other motorways prior to the completion of the trial on the M42.

David Jamieson: No decisions have been taken on extending active traffic management to sections of the motorway network beyond the pilot study announced for the M42. But as the motoring organisations have argued further trials at other sites would be required before hard shoulder running could be applied more generally. Such trials could be run in parallel with the M42 study.

Motorways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation (a) has taken place and (b) is planned relating to hard shoulder running on motorways; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: No statutory consultation is required. But in developing the M42 Active Traffic Management study, which will include part-time use of the hard shoulder as a running lane under carefully controlled conditions, ongoing consultation is taking place with stakeholders including motoring organisations and the emergency services.

National Travel Survey

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average (a) number and (b) distance per annum of trips as calculated by the National Travel Survey was by (i) car driver, (ii) car passenger, (iii) bus, (iv) walking and (v) other modes of transport broken down by (A) commuting, (B) business, (C) education, (D) escort education, (E) shopping and (F) other reasons, and by sex, and those (1) under 17-years-old, (2) 17 to 29-year-old, (3) 30 to 49-years-old, (4) 50 to 59-years-old and (5) over 60-years-old, in (w) 197576, (x) 198586, (y) 199294 and (z) 19992001.

David Jamieson: This information is very detailed and will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Network Rail (Railway Clearing)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has received regarding the decision by Network Rail to cut back vegetation and fell trees along railway lines; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: A number of such representations have been received by my Department. This is an operational matter for Network Rail, who have a duty to maintain the trackside and embankments in such a way as to ensure safety is not compromised.

Park-and-ride Schemes

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the Park and Ride schemes which have been given approval since 1 January 1997, in each case stating (a) whether it was (i) a new scheme and (ii) an extension to an existing one, (b) whether the site was located in Green Belt land and (c) how many additional parking spaces were included.

David Jamieson: The highway authorities in consultation with the appropriate planning authorities develop Park and Ride schemes. The information requested, covering Park and Ride schemes that have been authorised since 1997, is not held centrally. However, the following information was made available for the schemes over the last two years in response to an earlier request for information on Park and Ride.
	The following major local public transport projects, which contain proposals for Park and Ride within them, have been approved or provisionally approved. The expected start dates are those provided by the authorities as part of the Local Transport Plans' Annual Progress Reports submitted in July 2001.
	
		
			 Authority Scheme Expected start date 
		
		
			 Bradford South Bradford Integrated Transport Improvements November 2001 
			 Cheshire Chester-Deeside Transport Scheme May 2004 
			 Doncaster A638 Great North Road Quality Bus Corridor April 2002 
			 Durham Belmont Interchange October 2003 
			 Tyne  Wear PTA Four Lanes End Interchange April 2002 
			 Wiltshire Salisbury Integrated Transport Measures April 2002 
		
	
	The provision of parking facilities, including Park and Ride, is a matter for the local highway authority and rail operators. In addition to the major schemes, a number of smaller schemes have been proposed/implemented by the local authorities as part of the local transport strategy. These have included proposals for extension of existing sites or new sites for both bus-based and rail-based schemes. These are summarised in the following table. Details of the smaller schemes, including proposed timetables, are not kept centrally.
	
		
			 Type of scheme 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Bus-based PRnew 7 11 
			 Bus-based PRextension 6 7 
			 Rail-based PRnew 4 6 
			 Rail-based PRextension 7 8

Partnerships UK

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what partnerships to fund transport which include local authorities have been established with the assistance of Partnerships UK in each of the last three years.

David Jamieson: Partnerships UK have participated in partnerships with local authorities for the procurement of the following transport projects:
	Leeds Supertram
	South Hampshire Rapid Transit
	Staffordshire Street Lighting Scheme.
	They have also offered advice through their helpdesk facility on a number of other local transport projects.
	They have not however provided any funding for such projects.

Pillion Passengers

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the minimum age is for a person to be a pillion passenger on a motorcycle; what regulations relate to the safety of motorcycle pillion passengers; and what plans he has to improve the safety of motorcycle pillion passengers.

David Jamieson: There is no minimum age for a person to be a pillion passenger on a motorcycle.
	There are a number of regulations relevant to the safety of pillion passengers. The key legislative requirements are:
	The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 require that only motorcyclists who have passed a motorcycle test can carry passengers.
	Section 23 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires that no more than one passenger may be carried and passengers must be capable of sitting astride a proper seat securely fixed to the motorcycle.
	Section 102 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 requires that the machine must be equipped with suitable supports or rests for the feet of the pillion passenger.
	The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1998 require that passengers must wear a safety helmet.
	Section 100 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 requires that passengers must be carried in a manner so that no danger is caused, or likely to be caused, to any person on the vehicle or on the road.
	Section 8 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 makes it an offence to use a vehicle when the number of passengers, or the manner in which they are carried, is such that it involves a danger of injury to any person.
	As part of its Road Safety Strategy the Government have embarked on a package of measures to improve the safety of all motorcyclists. These include improvements to testing and training; making drivers more aware of the vulnerability of motorcyclists; and promoting improvements in technical standards. The Government recently launched a safety publicity campaign aimed at urban motorcycling and is working on further safety publicity aimed at those who ride big bikes. These initiatives will improve the safety of pillion passengers as well as riders.

Private Railway (West Somerset)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what Government assistance is available to a local private railway in West Somerset to help encourage people to use the service.

David Jamieson: Government assistance to a local private railway could be considered only if it were to provide scheduled passenger services under a franchise agreement.

Procurement Programme

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department's procurement programme includes timber for use in departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: My Department's procurement programmes include timber for use in building projects and refurbishment schemes.
	My Department's Greening Operations Policy Statement includes a commitment to purchase only timber and timber products from sustainable and legal sources. Purchasers within the Department are reminded regularly of this commitment and provided with advice to assist them in purchasing sustainable timber, including the Office of Government Commerce Information Note 9/2002.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

David Jamieson: Information on PSA targets is published on the Department for Transport website and included in routine publications such as departmental reports, which involves no significant extra cost.

Railways

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve consultation with passengers groups and local authorities on proposed cuts in rail services; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority currently engages closely with the Rail Passengers Committees (RPCs), which represent the interests and voice of passengers. The Authority plan to improve links with the RPCs through more regular meetings. The Authority have also established a Regional Planning Team, and will shortly appoint Regional Planning Managers, who will be responsible for liaison with regional planning bodies and local authorities, and for co-ordinating the SRA's rail planning activities in the regions. The recent timetable changes were driven by the need to improve performance urgently in the interests of passengers.

Railways

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements are planned for Lime Street Station, Liverpool.

David Jamieson: Network Rail advises that it is planning to add Liverpool Lime Street to its portfolio of 'Major Stations' (stations owned and managed directly by Network Rail, rather than by train operating companies). Until negotiations are complete regarding this process, details of planned improvements are unavailable.

Railways

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment was made of the economic regeneration impact of the SRA's recent decision to cut cross country services to Liverpool in the 2003 summer and autumn timetable.

David Jamieson: The timetable changes were driven by the need to improve performance urgently in the interests of passengers. The principal passenger flows to and from Liverpool, from which principal economic benefits are derived, will continue to be served by through trains with improving reliability.

Railways

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the London-Liverpool Intercity Pendolino trains will be operational.

David Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 19 May 2003, Official Report, column 548W, to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Paul Marsden).

Railways

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 128W, on railways, how many train operating companies have (a) sought permission, (b) obtained permission and (c) been denied permission from (i) Network Rail and (ii) the Strategic Rail Authority to exceed the prescribed journey times in each of the last two years; and on which routes.

David Jamieson: The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Railways

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on changes in staffing levels within the railway industry since 1992.

David Jamieson: The following table shows staff employed in the railways for each year since 1992. The apparently steep fall, especially pronounced after 1995, is due primarily to staff from parts of the former British Rail being reclassified to other sectors such as telecommunications, construction, manufacturing and business services. A 2001 report by the Rail Industry Training Council estimated the number of staff employed in the industry as a whole at that time at between 140,000 and 150,000, broadly comparable with the figure for 1992.
	
		Thousand
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1992 142 
			 1993 135 
			 1994 128 
			 1995 113 
			 1996 85 
			 1997 55 
			 1998 46 
			 1999 49 
			 2000 49 
			 2001 48 
			 2002 50

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which companies have been rejected by the Strategic Rail Authority from prequalification in the current franchise replacement programme, and what reasons in each case were given by the Strategic Rail Authority under the terms of the Cabinet Office guidance for non-departmental public bodies.

David Jamieson: The companies that have failed to pre-qualify for franchises, and the reasons for their failure, are not made public in the interests of commercial confidentiality and maintaining a competitive procurement process. Potential bidders are given confidential feedback. In all cases the aim is to ensure a strong competition that delivers a value for money franchise.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons companies may be rejected by the Strategic Rail Authority from prequalification in the franchise replacement programme; and what (a) guidance and (b) legislation covers this process.

David Jamieson: Franchising is a matter for the Strategic Rail Authority under the provisions of the Transport Act 2000. Neither the Act nor the Directions and Guidance to the Authority issued by the Secretary of State under the Act address the pre-qualification process. To pre-qualify prospective bidders must complete questionnaires which the Authority then evaluates and ranks in order of merit. On the basis of that evaluation, the Authority selects not less than three and not more than five bidders to receive Invitations to Tender.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Travelsafe officers and equivalent operate on the railways, broken down by Train Operating Company.

David Jamieson: South West Trains is the only train operating company that employs Travelsafe officers. They currently have 27 Travelsafe officers deployed in Clapham, Guildford, Portsmouth and Richmond.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many compensation claims have been made for delays on the railways by passengers in each year since 1997 using (i) claim form RSP25805/24 and (ii) other claim forms; and what their total value was.

David Jamieson: The information is not held centrally.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legislation governs the (a) activities and (b) powers of Travelsafe officers operating on South West Trains; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Travelsafe Officers are civilian employees of South West Trains. They are governed by the same legislation that applies to other employees of this company. They have no specific powers but, as with other employees, they are able to use the national Railway Bylaws made by South West Trains to regulate the behaviour of passengers on the railways.

Red Diesel

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the levels of on-road use of red diesel by (a) farmers, (b) plant hirers, (c) builders, (d) agricultural contractors and (e) tractor dealers.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	There are no estimates of the levels of on-road use of red diesel by user type, however, most vehicles permitted to use red diesel use it off-road. Because there are specific conditions attached to vehicles allowed to use red diesel, the amount of red diesel used on-road will be very small.

Registration Plates

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken into the cloning of car registration plates.

David Jamieson: Evidence from Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems suggests that cloning is being used by a small minority of motorists to evade fines and charges.
	In order to combat the problem and prevent people obtaining number plates to which they are not entitled, we have introduced measures to tighten up on the supply of plates. Since 1 January, all suppliers of number plates have been required to register with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and to keep records of sales. Purchasers of plates are required to produce evidence of their identity as well as the vehicle's registration document.
	We are now working on measures to make number plates more secure and to ensure that they can be clearly and visibly linked to the vehicle on which they are displayed. A consultation paper on number plate security will be issued shortly.

Registration Plates

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many car registration plates were reported to police forces as having been cloned in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Statistics on the number of vehicles reported to police forces as having been cloned in each of the last three years are not available.

Road Accidents

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of new cars have ABS brakes fitted; what assessment he has made of the effect of ABS brakes on the number of road accidents; and what his policy is on making the fitting of ABS brakes compulsory on all new cars.

David Jamieson: The major European, Japanese and Korean car manufacturers have made a commitment to fit ABS to all new cars sold from 1 July 2004. Only certain sports car and specialist vehicle manufacturers are not bound by this commitment. These represent a very small proportion of vehicles entering the vehicle fleet.
	The Department for Transport commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory to carry out research into the effectiveness of ABS in reducing accidents. The results indicated a 3 per cent. overall reduction in accidents. The report concluded that, although ABS had the potential to reduce the number of accidents, this had not yet been fully realised, in part because many drivers had little or no knowledge of how ABS can help in an emergency. The Department's Driving Standards Agency is considering how driver understanding of ABS can be improved.
	Copies of the TRL report, A Survey of the Effectiveness of ABS in Reducing Accidents have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Given the almost total coverage achieved by the industry commitment, the Department will not be seeking the compulsory fitting of ABS in new cars.

Road Haulage Fund

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much of the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund was spent in 200102 and 200203; how much will be spent in 200304; and to what purpose any balance will be put;
	(2)  if he will make it the policy of his Department to invest the unspent balance of the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund in training for drivers; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the projects which the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund has supported; and the expenditure on each.

David Jamieson: DfT has spent the following on the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund (RHMF) in England:
	200102: 6.07 million
	200203: 8.61 million
	Just as in 200102 and 200203, spend in the final year of the fund in England (200304) will be determined by industry demand for fund schemes. Demand has been disappointingly low. The road haulage modernisation fund in England requires a shift by industry towards better business practices. It is therefore reliant on industry taking up what is on offer. All schemes in England have been worked up with the industry through the Road Haulage Forum and its subgroups. The projects supported so far include:
	Clean Up haulage: 3.93 million
	Enforcement in GB: 5.9 million
	Fuel Economy Advisers: 2.53 million
	Modernising Operator Scheme (pilot): 0.19 million
	Training Schemes: 2.13 million (made up of Young Drivers Scheme, Modern Apprenticeships, Investment in Training, Training simulator, driver shortage survey)
	In addition to the projects above other projects are coming on stream this year, and are supported by the fund in England. They include:
	Driver Development Scheme
	Driver Simulator Project
	Respect for People Scheme
	Careers Website
	Modernising Operator Scheme (main scheme)
	These schemes are extant and can be applied for by industry operators now.
	The RHMF was announced as a 3-year, ring-fenced fund and subject to take-up by the industry. As such there is no balance available for reallocation. However, all schemes under the RHMF will be evaluated and decisions taken on whether there is justification to extend any of them separately. The Department continues to discuss with the industry on how best to promote modernisation within the industry.
	Separate funds for road haulage modernisation exist in the Devolved Administrations.

Road Schemes (Public Inquiries)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road schemes promoted by the Highways Agency went to public inquiry in 2002; and in respect of which ones decisions have been announced.

David Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to reply to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 3 June 2003
	I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about road schemes that went to public inquiry in 2002; and in respect of which ones have decisions been announced.
	The A500 City Road  Stoke Road Junction Improvement and the A1 Stannington Junction both went to public inquiry in 2002 and decisions have been announced. The A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction also went to public inquiry in 2002 and a decision has not yet been announced.
	In addition to this, the A1(M) Wetherby-Walshford and the A21 Lamberhurst Bypass went to public inquiry in 2002 to examine modifications to the original proposals and in both cases the decisions have been announced.
	If you require any further information, please contact Martin Steward. He can be contacted at the Agency's office at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1BL or by telephone on 0121 678 8324.

Road Traffic Accidents

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide rest areas on motorways.

David Jamieson: My officials are working up proposals to take forward a pilot scheme under which we will provide a purpose-built rest area directly accessed from the motorway network. If successful, such rest areas will be in addition to rest facilities provided by existing motorway service areas, which are available at approximately 30-mile intervals on most of the motorway network in England.

Road Traffic Accidents

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents occurred in the last three years for which figures are available because of (a) motorists and (b) cyclists ignoring red traffic lights.

David Jamieson: The information requested is not available.

Road Traffic Accidents

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents were caused by litter on the roads in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.

Road Traffic Accidents

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in sleep-related road traffic accidents in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: The information requested is not available. Research has established that tiredness is a principle factor in around 10 per cent. of car driver accidents and about 1520 per cent. of all accidents on motorways and other similar roads

Road Traffic Accidents

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to prevent road traffic accidents caused by motorists and cyclists ignoring red traffic light signals.

David Jamieson: Red light enforcement cameras have proved to be highly effective at reducing redlight jumping by motorists and accident casualties have fallen as a result. More are now being deployed within the Safety Camera Netting-off Scheme that allows some fine revenue from fixed penalties to be re-invested in camera activity.
	The minority of cyclists who irresponsibly ignore red traffic light signals, putting themselves and other road users at risk are liable to prosecution and the offences of careless and dangerous cycling currently carry maximum fines of 1,000 and 2,500 respectively. Enforcement of the law is of course a matter for the police.

Road Traffic Accidents

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much rubbish was removed from motorways in England in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to reply to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Tom Watson dated 3 June 2003
	The Transport Minister, David Jamieson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the amount of rubbish removed from the motorway network.
	The information you asked for is not available. Our Managing Agent Contractors clear litter from the motorway network as part of their routine maintenance work but they are not required to record how much they collect. It would not be practical to record the information because collection methods differ widely. Some Contractors pick by hand, others use machines.

Roads Improvement Programme

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to upgrade main roads in West Somerset.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State has no plans to upgrade main roads in West Somerset district, as it is the responsibility of Somerset county council as the highway authority.

Roads Improvement Programme

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the roads in the Targeted Programme of Improvements, in each case stating whether an Environmental Impact Assessment has been conducted in accordance with Directives 85/337/EEC and 97/11/EU prior to its inclusion in the programme.

David Jamieson: I have asked the chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to reply to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Don Foster, dated 3 June 2003
	I have been asked by David Jamieson to reply to your parliamentary question asking the Secretary of State to list the road schemes in the Targeted Programme of Improvements and to state whether an Environmental Impact Assessment was conducted prior to inclusion in the programme.
	The schemes in the TPI are listed in the attached annex. Please note that schemes that have been opened to traffic are excluded from the list. Prior to entry in the TPI, options are assessed using the New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) to ensure that decisions are based on a balanced view of the economic, environmental, safety, accessibility and integration implications.
	We have identified the schemes where an Environmental Impact Assessment was carried out prior to TPI entry. When the TPI was introduced, these schemes were in the former roads programme and had already reached the stage in their development at which these assessments are carried out.
	If you require any further information about this, Martin Steward in the Agency's Birmingham office would be pleased to help you. His telephone number is 0121 678 8324.
	
		
			 Targeted programme of improvements (TPI) excludesschemes already open to traffic Environmental impact assessment (EIA) conducted in accordancewith directives85/337/EEC and 97/11/EU prior to its inclusion inthe programme (YES/NO) 
		
		
			 A1(M) FerrybridgeHook Moor YES 
			 A1(M) WetherbyWalshford YES 
			 A2 BeanCobham Phase 1 BeanTollgate NO 
			 A2 BeanCobham Phase 2 TollgateCobham NO 
			 A2/A282 Dartford Improvement YES 
			 A5 WeefordFazeley Improvement NO 
			 A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass YES 
			 A6 RothwellDesborough Bypass YES 
			 A6 Alvaston Bypass YES 
			 A10 Wadesmill Colliers End YES 
			 A14 Rookery Crossroads Grade Separated Junction NO 
			 A21 Lamberhurst Bypass YES 
			 A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement NO 
			 A41 Aston Clinton Bypass YES 
			 A46 NewarkLincoln Improvement YES 
			 A63 Selby Bypass YES 
			 A120 StanstedBraintree Improvement YES 
			 A249 IwadeQueenborough Improvement YES 
			 A303 Stonehenge NO 
			 A421 Great Barford Bypass NO 
			 A500 City Road and Stoke Junction Improvement NO 
			 A500 Basford, Hough, Shavington Bypass YES 
			 A650 Bingley Relief Road YES 
			 A1033 Hedon Road Improvement YES 
			 M25 J1215 Widening YES 
			 M60 J58 Widening YES 
			 A11 Attleborough Bypass NO 
			 A11 FivewaysThetford Improvement NO 
			 A47 Thomey Bypass NO 
			 M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill extension YES 
			 A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction NO 
			 A14 Haughley New StStowmarket Improvement NO 
			 A3 Hindhead Improvement NO 
			 A38 Dobwalls Bypass NO 
			 A595 PartonLillyhall Improvement YES 
			 Al PeterboroughBlvth GSJ NO 
			 M62 Junction 6 Improvement NO 
			 A46 NewarkWidmerpool Improvement NO 
			 A30 Bodmin Indian Queens NO 
			 A483 Pant- Llanymynech Bypass NO 
			 A5117/A550 Deeside Park Junctions Improvement NO 
			 A419 Blunsdon Bypass NO 
			 A66 Temple Sowerby and Improvement at Winderwath NO 
			 A1 Dishforth to Leerrung YES 
			 A1 BramhamWetherby (including Wetherby Bypass) YES 
			 A1 Leeming to Barton YES 
			 A64 Rillington Bypass NO 
			 M40/A404 Handy Cross Junction Improvement NO 
			 A47 Blofield to North Burlingham Dualling NO 
			 A66 Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank Improvement NO 
			 A66 Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner Improvement NO 
			 A428 Caxton Common to Hardwick Improvement NO 
			 A30/A382 Merrymeet Junction NO 
			 A66 Long Newton Junction NO 
			 A1 Stannington Junction NO 
			 A69 Haydon Bridge Bypass NO 
			 A419 Commonhead Junction NO 
			 M4 Junction 18 Eastbound Diverge NO 
			 M5 Junctions 1718 Northbound Climbing Lane NO 
			 M5 Junctions 1920 Southbound Climbing Lane NO 
			 M5 Junctions 1920 Northbound Climbing Lane NO 
			 M1 Junction 19 NO 
			 A14 EllingtonFen Ditton Improvement NO 
			 A57/A628 Mottram in Longdendale, Hollingworth and Tintwistle Bypass NO 
			 A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement NO

Roads Management

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures the Department is taking to ensure that (a) commercial in-car route management systems and (b) the Highways Agency's variable message signs do not divert motorists onto unsuitable local roads.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 3 February 2003, Official Report, column 40W.

Rural Transport

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) resource and (b) capital expenditure on rural transport in each year since 199899, broken down by (i) public and (ii) private expenditure.

David Jamieson: Annual public expenditure on the Government's dedicated rural transport programmes since 199899 is set out in the following table:
	
		 million
		
			  Rural bus subsidy grant   Rural bus challenge Countryside agency rural transport programmes   Total 
			  Resource Revenue Capital Resource Resource Capital 
		
		
			 199899 24.1 1.6no split available 2.3 28.0no split available 
			 19992000 30.5 0.3 5.0 3 .3 34.1 5.0 
			 200001 31.7 1.8 7.7 4 .8 38.3 7.7 
			 200102 40.4 3.9 8.1 7 .4 51.7 8.1 
			 200203 46.8 9.9 9.3 14.0 70.7 9.3 
		
	
	Local transport authorities are also free to use their Revenue Support Grant and Local Transport Plan block capital allocations for rural transport projects and initiatives, although neither the Department for Transport nor the Office of Deputy Prime Minister break down this public expenditure by rural area. Private expenditure on rural transport is not monitored.

Rural Transport

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the impact of expenditure on rural transport since 199899; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Funding for rural transport services has been available since 19981999 through my Department's Rural Bus Subsidy Grant and Rural Bus Challenge and the Countryside Agency's rural transport schemes. The Rural Bus Subsidy Grant is supporting 1,900 new or improved routes in England on which about 21 million passenger journeys were made in 200102, improving access to services and facilities for those living in many rural areas. The Rural Bus Challenge supports innovative rural bus projects and 259 projects have been awarded grants since 1998. These projects have provided many new flexible demand responsive and community transport services throughout England. My Department has commissioned research on the impact of the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant and the Rural Bus Challenge scheme and will publish a report shortly.
	The Countryside Agency administers the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme and since April 2001 the Parish Transport Grant. These schemes are supporting small scale transport projects developed locally by rural communities and parishes to improve accessibility for socially excluded groups. 466 projects, ranging from community transport schemes, wheels-to-work initiatives, public transport information to local walking and cycling improvements, have been supported in 200203. The Agency is currently carrying out a study of the impact and effectiveness of the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme, the results of which will be published in Spring 2004.

Secondments

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees have been seconded from Capita to the Department and its predecessors since 1997; how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport has only been in existence since May 2002. In the financial year 200203 there were no secondments from Capita to this Department.

Service Delivery Agreements

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

David Jamieson: My Department will take account of all of the Government's international commitments on sustainable development in its delivery and business planning processes.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport was established following machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. In the period to 30 April 2003, 79 staff had absences lasting 30 days or more in the centre of the Department for Transport.
	There is no central definition of what constitutes 'long-term sick leave'. For the Department's six Agencies, using absences of 21 days or more as an indicator (apart from the Driving Standards Agency, which uses absences of 30 days or more as a measure), 1,366 staff had such absences in 2001 and 1,121 staff had absences in 2002.
	I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 January 2003, Official Report, column 518W, where it states the Department is committed to managing sick absence effectively.

Staff Numbers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 22 May, Official Report, column 942W, if he will list the specialist posts for which external recruitment was required.

David Jamieson: The specialist posts for which external recruitment is required is aviation, maritime and rail security staff and financial experts.

Sustainable Development

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the departmental strategy for sustainable development was published; and if he will make a statement on the steps being taken to take forward the actions outlined.

David Jamieson: My Department is committed to the objectives set out in the Government's overall strategy for sustainable development A Better Quality of Life (Cm 4345) published in May 1999. Our strategy for delivery is set out in the Integrated Transport White Paper (Cm 3950) and associated policy statements such as the 10-Year-Plan for Transport. The Department's annual publication Transport Trends, provides details of performance against key sustainable development indicators.

Ticket Barriers

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will publish his guidance on the installation of ticket barriers at railway stations that do not have gates; and who is responsible for (a) preparing the business case for ticket barriers and (b) their purchase and installation;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of installing ticket gates at stations in the London region following the renewal of train operating franchises which no longer contain commitments to improve station infrastructure.

David Jamieson: The installation of ticket barriers at railway stations is a matter for individual train operating companies. Ticket barriers can be used by train operating companies as part of their revenue protection measures to protect their fare-box income where they believe there is a business case. Train operators fund the purchase and installation of ticket barriers accordingly.

Transport (South-East)

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has entered into with the private sector to provide increased transport in the south-east.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with a wide range of groups about a variety of matters related to transport, including transport in the south-east.

Transport (South-East)

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase public transport in the south-east.

David Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to the progress report on the 10 year plan for transport, Delivering better transport, a copy of which was placed in the library of the House on 17 December 2002. Page 166 of the report sets out the public transport improvements that have been delivered and which are in the pipeline for the south-east.
	We are also currently considering the final reports and recommendations from the Orbit, Thames Valley and South Coast Corridor Multi Modal Studies, in the light of the comments received from the respective Regional Planning Bodies and other interested parties. Each recommends significant infrastructure proposals. We hope to make an announcement in due course.

Transport Links

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the modes of transport available to people living in socially and economically deprived areas and the effects on their work and leisure opportunities.

David Jamieson: Local authorities write five-year Local Transport Plans (LTPs), and report annually on progress made against those plans. The Government's guidance on LTPs (DETR 2000) stated that authorities would need to promote social inclusion and tackle the transport needs of people on low incomes. Authorities' subsequent progress reports have identified a wide range of local solutions designed to address these concerns.
	The publication in February this year of the Social Exclusion Unit's report on transport, Making the connections, presented new policies to improve people's access to jobs and key services. Particularly, authorities preparing second LTPs (due in 2005) will be asked to conduct accessibility planning. Accessibility planning will aim to identify barriers that prevent those who rely on public transport from accessing jobs and key services. Transport planners will then have to work in partnership with colleagues in other sectors, to agree and then implement action plans that make appropriate improvements.

Trunk Roads

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 22 May 2003, Official Report, column 946W, when he expects equivalent data to become available for (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

David Jamieson: It is not intended to produce equivalent figures for 2001 or 2002, as the information required is not available every year. An estimate of trunk road congestion in 2003 should be available in spring 2004.

Vehicle Licences

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are taken by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to recover unpaid licence fees from vehicle owners; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Agency relies heavily on police and traffic wardens to submit reports of unlicensed vehicles being used or kept on a public road. The Agency has a number of wheelclamping units and Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) units which also identify unlicensed vehicles.
	From 22 May, a telephone hotline has been established to allow members of the public to report unlicensed vehicles. This is currently operating in the London area and will be rolled out nationwide in a phased programme.
	From June this year, 23 police forces will also trial the use of ANPR cameras to detect unlicensed vehicles on the road.
	With effect from January 2004, a new scheme of Continuous Registration will be introduced which will require a vehicle to be licensed or have a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) declaration in force at all times. Where this is not the case, enforcement action will be taken directly from the DVLA vehicle record.
	All offenders reported to DVLA are either offered the opportunity to settle the matter out of court (which contains a penalty based to the amount of duty evaded) or face prosecution in which case, the court will order the outstanding duty to be paid on conviction.

Virgin West Coast Railways

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 21 May, to question ref. 113775, on the Virgin West Coast Railways franchise, when he expects the level of subsidy to be determined.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority aim to conclude negotiations at the earliest opportunity: no specific date has been set.

TREASURY

Agency Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds.

John Healey: The total cost of agency services for the last two financial years is as follows:
	200102: 1,012,776
	200203: 926,517
	Records of the numbers of workers are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Banknotes

Joan Humble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultation there was with organisations representing blind and visually handicapped people about measures to differentiate paper currency notes of different values.

John Healey: The Bank of England consults with the Royal National Institute of the Blind when designing new banknotes, to ensure that the different denominations are readily distinguishable from each other.

Benefit Take-up

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made to determine the number of eligible individuals who have failed to apply for (a) working tax credit, (b) minimum income guarantee and (c) child tax credit within the Crosby constituency;
	(2)  how many individuals have benefited from (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit in the Crosby constituency.

John Healey: It is estimated that 750,000 families in the North West and Merseyside are expected to receive the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and that 210,000 are expected to receive the Working Tax Credit (WTC), including some who are also expected to receive the CTC.
	Estimates of the number of families expected to receive these tax credits, or the minimum income guarantee, are not available at constituency level.
	Statistics on awards of the WTC and CTC will be published in August.

Capita

Phil Willis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees have been seconded from Capita to Her Majesty's Treasury since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

John Healey: No employees have been seconded from Capita to HM Treasury since 1997.

Corporation Tax

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the methodology used to calculate Treasury corporation tax forecasts. [R]

John Healey: Corporation tax is forecast using a microsimulation model on a sample of company tax assessments. The main tax determinants, such as trading profits, of the sample cases are projected forwards based on economic assumptions; annual tax liabilities and losses are assessed; and the results scaled up to give forecasts of total corporation tax liability. Estimates of receipts and repayments in each financial year are then compiled. Any changes in liabilities arising from Budget and other changes are allowed for. A separate model is used to produce forecasts of corporation tax on North Sea oil and gas.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter dated 11 April from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent Mr. A. Geddes of Rosehearty.

John Healey: I did so on 19 May.

Employer-supported Child Care

Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many employees he estimates will benefit from the proposal to extend tax and national insurance contributions exemption to all forms of employer-supported child care and will pay (a) less than 50 a week and (b) 50 per week or more in respect of such child care;
	(2)  in which (a) occupations and (b) sectors employees who benefit from the tax and national insurance contributions exemptions for employer-supported child care are found; and what the average size of the employer organisation is;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the cost to Government of the proposal to extend tax and national insurance contributions exemption to all forms of employer-supported formal child care as outlined in the consultation document, Employer Supported Childcare: Improving the Tax and National Insurance Exemptions;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of the proposed tax and national insurance contributions exemptions for employer-supported child care.

Dawn Primarolo: The take up and cost of the proposed new tax and national insurance exemptions for employer-supported child care will depend on the qualification rules adopted which will be informed by the responses to the consultation exercise that closed on 31 May 2003.
	Information on the occupations and industry sectors where employers assist with child care and the average size of these employers is not available. The cost of the reform will depend on the final shape of the proposals, and the cost of the current exemption for work place nurseries is not accurately known as this information is not required from employers in order to minimise the administrative burden on them.

Energy Conservation

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the UK is preparing to link the European Commission's forthcoming proposals to modify the rules on taxation of energy products and the agreement on community-wide emissions trading as part of its approach towards achieving carbon savings and energy conservation.

John Healey: The minimum rates of duty in the Energy Products Directive will not affect the UK's rates of climate change levy and hydrocarbon oils duties and the UK's right to exempt domestic and charity non-business use of energy from the climate change levy will be preserved.
	The Government will consider further the relationship between tax and tradable permit schemes as it prepares proposals for allocating emissions targets to installations covered by the EU trading scheme. The Government will aim to ensure that environmental costs can be internalised as efficiently as possible, irrespective of whether the instruments are international or domestic, seeking to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements with minimum compliance costs for business. The potential impacts of combined measures on business competitiveness and fuel poverty will also be taken into account. The Government envisages that the EU trading scheme will play an important role in delivering the emissions reduction ambition set out in the Energy White Paper. Having gained valuable experience from the operation of the UK scheme, UK industry and the City of London will be well placed to take advantage of a wider emissions trading market.

Enterprise Zones

Eric Martlew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to designate new enterprise zones; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Since the introduction of the Enterprise Zone scheme, a wide range of alternative schemes has been developed to promote regeneration and growth. These provide for better targeting of resources and can be implemented more rapidly than the Enterprise Zone scheme which, in part as a result of EC state aid requirements, can take up to three years to designate. The Government believe that the best way forward is not to use subsidy based approaches that will displace businesses from elsewhere, but to target attention at the issues which constrain economic development and enterprise within our most disadvantaged communities.
	The Government are currently undertaking research to draw lessons from the Enterprise Zone programme, which will help pinpoint the elements of the programme that produced most benefit and will help inform future policy development.
	The Government have introduced a number of policies to support enterprise in disadvantaged areas. The 2002 pre-Budget report designated 2,000 Enterprise Areas, covering the most deprived areas in the UK, in which measures to boost enterprise, such as the exemption from stamp duty for non-residential property transactions and the community investment tax relief, are being concentrated. Budget 2003 announced additional steps to support enterprise in these areas, including the accreditation of the first 11 community development finance institutions to offer community investment tax relief to investors.
	The Inland Revenue website contains a postcode search tool for the Enterprise Areas at www.inlandrevenue. gov.uk/so/pcode search.htm.

Epilepsy Deaths

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many sudden unexpected deaths from epilepsy there were in (a) Leeds West, (b) City of Leeds and (c) West Yorkshire in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. John Battle dated 3 June 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how many sudden unexpected deaths from epilepsy there were in (a) Leeds West, (b) City of Leeds and (c) West Yorkshire in each of the last five years for which figures are available. am replying in his absence. (116183)
	Figures for Leeds are only readily available for Leeds Metropolitan District. These figures,and those for West Yorkshire, are given in the attached table. The total numbers of deaths with an underlying cause of epilepsy are also provided as context for the numbers that are sudden unexpected deaths.
	
		Number of deaths with an underlying cause of epilepsy(20) and among those where sudden unexpected death in epilepsy(21) was mentioned on the death certificate, West Yorkshire Metropolitan County and Leeds Metropolitan District,(22) 1997 to 2001(23) -- Number of deaths
		
			  West Yorkshire Leeds 
			  All Sudden unexpected All Sudden unexpected 
		
		
			 1997 30 (24) 6 - 
			 1998 37 - 16 - 
			 1999 35 (24) 12 - 
			 2000 39 (24) 12 (24) 
			 2001 48 5 8 - 
		
	
	(20) Cause of death selected using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 345 for the years 1997 to 2000, and, for the year 2001, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes G40 and G4L. The introduction of ICD-10 for coding cause of death in 2001 means that data for epilepsy in this year are not comparable with data for earlier years. The introduction of ICD-10 has led to an apparent increase of 1 per cent. for males and 23 per cent. for females in the number of deaths coded to epilepsy. While the effect of the change to ICD-10 may have led to an overall increase in the number of deaths with an underlying cause of epilepsy in 2001, it is not possible to determine the effect on sudden unexpected deaths in epilepsy.
	(21) Deaths where sudden unexpected death in epilepsy or similar wording (e.g. sudden unexplained death in epilepsy) was written on the death certificate.
	(22) Figures relate to deaths of usual residents of these areas.
	(23) Figures are for deaths which occurred in these years.
	(24) Fewer than 5 deaths.
	- Zero deaths

EU Savings Tax Directive

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the decision-making process regarding who will decide whether overseas and dependent territories should implement the EU Savings Tax Directive;
	(2)  whether Bermuda will be excluded from the EU Savings Tax Directive.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 12 December 2002, Official Report, column 475W.

EU Savings Tax Directive

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Treasury has to undertake an assessment on the impact of the EU Savings Tax Directive on the UK's Overseas Territories.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government keep under review the impact of all international developments on the Overseas Territories.

EU Savings Tax Directive

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the agreements the EU has made with Switzerland in exchange for her signing up to the EU Savings Tax Directive.

Dawn Primarolo: Formal links between the EU and Switzerland are governed by separate agreements. 73 such agreements have been signed since 1956. There are currently negotiations at different stages of progress on 10 agreements, one of which concerns the taxation of savings.

EU Savings Tax Directive

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which overseas territories have expressed a position to the Treasury on the EU Savings Tax Directive; and what those positions are.

Dawn Primarolo: All overseas territories covered by the Feira agreement have expressed a position to the Treasury on the EU Directive on the Taxation of Savings. Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, and Turks and Caicos Islands have all made commitments to introduce automatic exchange of information. The Cayman Islands Government has not made such a commitment.

EU Savings Tax Directive

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of the EU's Savings Tax Directive on the competitiveness of Britain's Overseas Territories.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General gave to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 12 December 2002, Official Report, column 475W.

Foster Carers

Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on Government plans to ease the tax burden on foster carers.

Dawn Primarolo: Clause 175 and Schedule 36 of the Finance Bill 2003 provide for a income tax relief for foster carers from April 2003. Foster carers will be exempt from income tax if their total receipts from foster care do not exceed an individual amount. The individual amount will consist of 10,000 per residence plus an additional amount per week per child of 200 a week for each child aged under eleven and 250 a week for each child aged eleven or over. This will ensure that benefits for these carers are applied consistently across the UK, and that they are not unfairly taxed upon the legitimate expenses they incur.

Free School Meals

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children he estimates benefit from free school meals in Brent as a result of the child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: It is estimated that 40,000 children in London will be expected to benefit from free school meals as the result of receiving Child Tax Credit, and meeting other conditions for eligibility.

Garages and Lock-ups

Peter Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether VAT is levied on (a) the rental of garages and lock-ups by homeowners and (b) council tenants whose house includes a garage or lock-up.

John Healey: Rental charges for garages or lock-ups separate from a house are subject to VAT at the standard rate. Charges levied by private landlords for the letting of houses combined with a garage or lock-up are considered a single supply exempt from VAT, while similar charges levied by councils as part of their statutory obligation are non-business activities, outside the scope of VAT. In either case, no VAT is charged.

Higher Rate Taxpayers

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many higher rate taxpayers there were in (a) the Twickenham constituency, (b) the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and (c) London as a proportion of the total tax-paying population in each area in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of the number of higher rate taxpayers as a proportion of the total tax-paying population in (a) Twickenham constituency, (b) the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and (c) London are shown as follows.
	
		Number of higher rate taxpayers as a percentage of the total tax-paying population for the respective geographical areas -- Percentage
		
			  Twickenham(25) Richmond upon Thames London(26) 
		
		
			 199596  25.3 12.4 
			 199697  21.2 12.3 
			 199798   12.2 
			 199899   13.0 
			 19992000
			 200001 29.3 29.8 15.7 
		
	
	(25) Parliamentary constituency.
	(26) Government office region.
	Estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI). Constituency level estimates were not compiled before 199899, and sub-regional estimates are not available for 199798 and 199899. Statistics based on the 19992000 SPI have been withdrawn temporarily following concerns over the reliability of this survey. Revised estimates will be available as soon as the re-compilation of the 19992000 SPI has been completed. These will follow the release of results based on the 200102 SPI in October 2003.

Honours

Greg Pope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in his Department have received honours; and how many honours are held by his officials, broken down by category of honour.

John Healey: Our records show that 14 Treasury officials have received awards. It should be noted, as follows: 1
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 K 2 
			 CB 3 
			 CMG 1 
			 CBE 3 
			 OBE 4 
			 MBE 1 
		
	
	(27) Records are maintained only of awards relating to official duties and do not include any awards held by staff before joining the Department. The figures also exclude retired Treasury officials.

Illegal Meat Imports

Matthew Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent changes have been made to the Port Inspection System to combat the illegal import of meat.

John Healey: From 11 April Customs took over responsibility for anti-smuggling controls at the frontier for meat and animal products arriving directly from third countries. This implements one of the recommendations of a Cabinet Office Office Study, whose conclusions were announced in the House of Commons by Margaret Beckett in November 2002, into the organisation of controls on products of animal origin, fish, plants and forestry products commissioned following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001.
	The Government have provided 25 million for the years 2003- 06 to tackle illegal imports of meat, other animal products, plants and plant products, and foodstuffs. From the 6 million allocated for 200304 Customs will receive 4 million. This will be used by Customs to help fund:
	Four new mobile anti-smuggling teams;
	An expansion of the detector dog programme from the existing two dogs transferred to Customs from Defra, to six;
	Extra intelligence activity;
	A publicity campaign at ports and airports in the UK and overseas.
	Responsibility for veterinary and health checks on products of animal origin (or animals) at designated Border Inspection Posts and for illicit products detected inland remains the responsibility of local authorities, Defra and the Devolved Administrations.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the US Administration on the restoration of the US dollar as Iraq's oil currency.

John Healey: Several currencies currently circulate in Iraq, including the US dollar. The UK Government has been in close contact with the US Government on a range of issues related to Iraqi reconstruction. There are no plans to make the US dollar the currency of Iraq.

Low Incomes (Cars)

Robert Walter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of household income is spent on running a car by those in the lowest income decile.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Robert Walter, dated 3 June 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the percentage of household income spent on running a car by those in the lowest income decile. 1 am replying in his absence. (116274)
	Estimates have been provided for the lowest income quintile because of the relatively small sample size for the lowest decile and data quality problems because income and expenditure data recorded in the EFS are not fully compatible because they are recorded in different ways. Households were ranked by equivalised disposable income.
	The percentage of gross household income spent on purchasing a car or van on average by households in the lowest income quintile was 5 per cent. and on running a vehicle was 10 per cent. Separate figures, for purchasing a car or a van and for running a vehicle, have been supplied because it is not possible to supply estimates solely on the money spent on running a car. In particular, expenditure on petrol, diesel and other motor oils cannot be estimated solely for cars.
	The estimates given are based on the analysis The effects of taxes and benefits on household income 200102 which was produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and published on the ONS website on 11 April 2003 and in Economic Trends in the May 2003 edition. They are based on data from the Expenditure and Food Survey (EFS).

National Insurance

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 May 2003, Official Report, columns 2628WS, on National Insurance Contributions Deficiency Notices, how many National Insurance payers are affected; who is heading the inquiry; what remit has been given to the inquiry; and how the inquiry report will be presented to Parliament.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to my written statement of 16 May 2003, Official Report, columns 2628WS.

Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the constitutional convention that governs the relationship between the UK and its Overseas Territories on matters relating to finance policy.

Dawn Primarolo: The Overseas Territories pass their own legislation on a wide range of areas. However, the United Kingdom retains the power to legislate for the Overseas Territories.

Paraffin

Peter Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of businesses that have ceased the resale of paraffin and paraffin products since 6 April;
	(2)  how many businesses are registered to sell paraffin;
	(3)  how many businesses applied to register for the resale of paraffin (a) before 14 February, (b) between 14 February and 5 April and (c) after 5 April.

John Healey: Businesses approved as Registered Dealers in Controlled Oil are entitled to deal in both rebated gas oil (red diesel) and rebated kerosene/paraffin. No distinction has been made between those businesses dealing solely in paraffin and those dealing in rebated gas oil. Data concerning those businesses that deal solely in paraffin cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost.
	The number of businesses that applied for approval as Registered Dealers in Controlled Oil (a) before 14 February was 957, (b) between 14 February and 5 April was 2,330, and (c) after 5 April (and up to 21 May) was 771.
	As at 21 May 2003 Customs and Excise had approved 3,421 businesses as Registered Dealers in Controlled Oil, and refused 12 applications. Beyond that, no estimate has been made of the number of businesses that may have voluntarily ceased reselling controlled oils since 6 April.

Public Employees

Anthony Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people and what percentage of the total work force in the UK were employed in the public sector in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) central Government, (b) local government, (c) non-executive agencies and (d) the NHS.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Anthony Steen dated 3 June 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on how manypeople, and what percentage of the total workforce in the UK were employed in the publicsector in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) central government, (b) local government (c) non-executive agencies and (d) the NHS. I am replying in his absence. (114857)
	The latest information is given in the attached table.
	Estimates of workforce jobs are based on the results of regular sample surveys of employers which count the number of employee jobs. Full information on public sector employment is published once a year; data for 2002 is expected to be published on the Office for National Statistics website shortly.
	Cabinet Office collect and publish data on Civil Service staffing levels twice-yearly. The latest data, for October 2002, was published by press notice in February this year. An annual publication, 'Civil Service Statistics', contains more detailed analyses based on the April data collection of each year. The current edition, based on data from April 2001, is due to be updated in the summer of this year. A separate Cabinet Office publication, 'Public Bodies 2002' gives details of employment in Non-Departmental Public Bodies. Copies of both these publications and the press notices are available from the House of Commons Library.
	
		Workforce Jobs by Sector -- Thousands, headcount, mid year
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Total workforce jobs 28,135 28,498 28,890 29,218 29,424 
			 of which  
			 Central government 870 868 869 860 874 
			 percentage of total 3.1 3.0 3.0 2.9 3.0 
			 Local government 2,593 2,579 2,641 2,682 2,732 
			 Percentage of total 9.2 9.0 9.7 9.2 9.3 
			 National Health Service 1,199 1,200 1,207 1,224 1,269 
			 Percentage of total 4.3 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.3 
			 Other public non-financial corporations 370 374 377 385 363 
			 Percentage of total 1.3 1.3 1.3 7.3 7.2 
			 Public sector 4,954 4,944 5,018 5,072 5,163 
			 Percentage of total 77.6 77.3 17.4 17.4 77.5 
		
	
	Source:Economic Trends, June 2002 issue, ONS

Public Sector Workers

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the change in the number of public sector workers in each year from 200304 to 200506, broken down by (a) Department and (b) region.

Paul Boateng: The total number of public sector workers in 2001 was 5.259 million. Departments have estimated that public sector employment will increase by over 200,000 between 2003 and 2006 as a result of 2002 Spending Review commitments. This implies an average increase of approximately 70,000 per year. It is for Departments to provide individual workforce projections by region, because they are responsible for their own work force planning.

Rural Proofing

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

John Healey: As with previous Administrations, and in line with exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it is not this Government's normal practice to release details of specific meetings or their content, as some of these discussions may have taken place on a confidential basis. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code, and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists. Copies of these documents are available in the Libraries of the House

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary gave to him on 30 April 2003, Official Report, column 376W.

Small Businesses

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures were put in place to prepare small and medium sized businesses for increases in national insurance contributions.

Dawn Primarolo: The increase in National Insurance Contributions was announced in Budget 2002, a year before it came into force. An Employer's Bulletin was issued to all employers in May 2002 which explained the changes to both employer's and employee's contributions. Detailed guidance was also issued to payroll software developers to enable amendments to payroll software to be made in advance of the changes.

Spirits Taxation

Peter Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will issue a re-assessment of price-elasticity in the market for Scotch whisky, following introduction of the new Treasury model for spirits taxation.

John Healey: A Government Economic Service Working Paper Econometric Models of Alcohol Demand in the United Kingdom was published 23 May and is available in the Library of the House.
	It is accessible from the Customs and Excise website at www.hmce.gov.uk/recent/index. The paper contains updated estimates of the price elasticities of demand for beer, wine and spirits. The relevant trade bodies have been sent copies and given an opportunity to discuss the paper with Customs and Excise.

Stamp Duty

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional duty he estimates will be raised from the proposal to change stamp duty on leases in each of the next five years; how many additional property transactions he estimates will come within the provision in each of the next five years; and what estimate he has made of (a) the compliance cost and (b) the number of additional staff required to implement the measures in each of the next five years.

John Healey: The estimated additional duty from the proposed reform of lease duty was published in table A2.1 of the Budget report.
	Under the proposals, the revised charge on leases will value the rent payable over the term of the lease at its net present value (NPV) and there will be a single rate of 1 per cent. of the NPV of rental payments, where the NPV exceeds the zero rate band threshold of 60,000 (for residential property) or 150,000 (for non-residential property).
	As a result of the introduction of zero rate thresholds it is expected that, in fact, fewer transactions will be within the scope of the charge once stamp duty land tax is introduced than are currently within the scope of charge. It is estimated that over 90 per cent. of residential leases and around 60 per cent. of commercial leases will be exempt from lease duty.
	Estimates of compliance costs, and other implementation costs, will be included in a full Regulatory Impact Assessment which will be published when stamp duty land tax is implemented.
	It is not anticipated that the number of staff in the Stamp Office will increase as a result of the proposed reform of lease duty.

Stamp Duty

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the amount of stamp duty will be calculated in the sale of long leasehold residential property. [R]

John Healey: Where a person who owns a residential property on a long lease sells that property, stamp duty is due on the amount paid for the assignment of the lease at the following rates:
	
		
			 Amount paid Rate (percentage) 
		
		
			 Not exceeding 60,000 0 
			 More than 60,000 but not exceeding 250,000 1 
			 More than 250,000 but not exceeding 500,000 3 
			 More than 500,000 4 
		
	
	This is subject to the availability of reliefs (such as that for purchases in disadvantaged areas).
	Where a new long lease is granted on a residential property rather than the existing lease being assigned, a premium is normally paid. This will be charged at the above rates except where rent of more than 600 is also payable, in which case any premium not exceeding 250,000 is charged at 1 per cent.
	Duty on rents payable under new leases is currently charged at between 1 per cent. and 24 per cent. of annual rent, depending on the length of the lease.
	A different lease duty structure is proposed in the current Finance Bill for the rental element of leases under stamp duty land tax. This will not affect the charge on new lease premiums or on the assignment of existing leases.

Stamp Duty

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make regulations under clause 50 of the Finance Bill to ensure that enhanced stamp duty is not paid on account of VAT increasing the consideration amount.[R]

John Healey: Paragraph 2 of schedule 4 of the Finance Bill sets out the Government's position on whether VAT should be included as consideration for the purposes of stamp duty land tax.
	Where VAT is actually paid then it should be treated as consideration. Broadly, where VAT is not charged at the time the transaction takes place, but there is a possibility that it might be charged at a later stage, then VAT will not count as consideration.
	This is particularly relevant for the grant of new leases. Where an election to charge VAT has been made before the effective date for the lease, lease duty will be charged on the VAT element of the lease rent. But where such an election has not been made, no such charge will apply even if an election is made later. This is a relaxation of the position under the current stamp duty regime where consideration is treated as including VAT unless the lease specifically prohibits it being charged, regardless of whether an election has in fact been made. The Government do not intend to make regulations to alter the position described above.

Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have had payments delayed due to the delays experienced by applicants using the Tax Credit helpline; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: No reliable estimate can be made, as it is not possible to link the individuals who have attempted to call the helplines with claims subsequently received or payments made.

Tax Credits

Bill Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether efforts to resolve the problems with the processing of claims for children's and working tax credits have had consequential implications for the handling of, and response times in respect of other inquiries to the Inland Revenue.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue is a very large organisation that is structured so as to respond flexibly to the demands of different work areas.

Tax Credits

Janet Dean: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he has taken to advise those with disabilities of the greater benefits available to them through the working tax credit than through the disabled persons tax credit, with regard to the changes in the capital rules.

Dawn Primarolo: All recipients of disabled person's tax credit (DPTC) were sent claim forms and guidance on the new tax credits. Messages about the changes have been targeted at recipients of DPTC and potential claimants of the relevant element of working tax credit as part of the mainstream tax credits publicity campaign. This has included the use of direct mail, advertising and the placing of editorial material in relevant publications, including those in alternative formats of video and audio (such as Open Eye) and on websites which may be seen by this group. The tax credits introductory leaflet is available in large print, and can be obtained in Braille or audio on request. Information has been provided to over 6,000 intermediaries including those who might represent disabled groups.

Tax Credits

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been (a) received, (b) processed and (c) completed for the (i) working tax credit and (ii) child tax credit, or equivalents, in each of the last three years from people resident in (A) Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency, (B) each Government office region and (C) in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: There is a single claim form for child tax credit and working tax credit. Over 4 million claims have been received and around 3.6 million families are already in payment. No breakdown of these figures is available below the national level. Statistics on awards of these tax credits will be published from August.

Tax Credits

Peter Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional staff resources he has made available to deal with resolving outstanding tax credit queries.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement I made to the House on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 53, when I explained that the Inland Revenue had moved an additional 700 staff onto handling callers to the tax credit helpline. In addition to the helpline, extra staff have been deployed on processing claims and getting awards into payment and dealing with personal callers at Inland Revenue Enquiry Centres.

Tax Credits

Peter Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the effects on its social justice agenda of delays in making tax credit assessments.

Dawn Primarolo: None. All claims for tax credits received by 25 April are in payment other than where more information is needed from the claimant, or further checks are required. Claims received after that date are being processed as quickly as possible. Around 3.6 million tax credit awards are already in payment.

Tax Credits

Joan Humble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals have benefited from (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit in the Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency.

John Healey: Statistics on awards of these tax credits will be published from August 2003.

Vacant Government Buildings

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 16 May 2003, Official Report, column 494W, on vacant Government buildings, if he will list the vacant Government-owned buildings as held by the Office of Government Commerce.

Paul Boateng: Detailed information on recorded vacant space in holdings owned by UK Departments in England, Scotland and Wales has been placed in the Library. This excludes accommodation that is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Health Education

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the availability of (a) human expertise and (b) modern IT techniques and equipment for the effective imparting of health education to schools; what plans he has to increase availability; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Education about health is included in the curriculum through the framework of Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE). Headteachers and governors make decisions about the programmes and resources to use to deliver PSHE including the best use of modern ICT systems. There are a range of health professionals, school nurses for example, who support teachers.
	To improve expertise we are rolling out a professional development programme which recognises effective teaching of PSHE. Over 700 teachers will participate in the programme this year. A similar programme for school nurses is being piloted. We have also established a PSHE website for teachers which provides information about a wide range of resources, many of them IT based. Websites such as 'Wiredforhealth' provide health information for teaching across all four key stages.

Excellence in Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his Department's strategy for promoting research and development in schools of the future, as set out in the Excellence in Schools White Paper.

David Miliband: In 1998 we commissioned a review of educational research and in 1999 published our response to the recommendations. These included the setting up of a National Educational Research Forum to develop a research strategy, developing systematic reviews of research evidence and commissioning dedicated research centres. All these have been done and are reflected in the very positive conclusions of the review of educational research and development in England published by OECD in September 2002.

Excellence in Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what innovative approaches to pupil grouping, as set out in the Excellence in Schools White Paper, have been developed since 1997.

David Miliband: It is for schools to develop and determine for themselves, the best form of pupil grouping to meet the needs of all their pupils. In 1999, research published by the Department on Innovative Pupil Grouping Practices provided case studies of flexible forms of pupil grouping that had achieved positive outcomes in secondary schools.

A-Levels

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the future of A-levels; and what assessment he has made of the implications of the A-level results of 2002.

David Miliband: We remain committed to the principles underlying the reformed A-levels, which are valuable awards. Following the reports by Mike Tomlinson on A-levels last year, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the awarding bodies have put in place the measures he recommended to ensure consistent grading standards. The Government's policy document, 1419: organisation and excellence, announced in January that a group led by Mike Tomlinson will advise next year on the future direction of qualifications for 14 to 19-year-olds.

Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total expenditure on advertising by the Department was in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203; and what the level of planned expenditure is for (i) 200304 and (ii) 200405.

Stephen Twigg: The expenditure on advertising by the Department for the period 200102 was 20.5 million and 11.3 million for the period 200203 (subject to final audit).
	Planned expenditure for 200304 is estimated at 16.6 million. Plans for advertising in 200405 have not yet been developed, therefore estimated expenditure is not available.

Advertising

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the cost to state schools of advertising for staff.

David Miliband: Such costs are not collected centrally. Recent figures from this year's 618g survey show that teacher vacancies in maintained schools were 3,400 on the survey date in January, down by 1,140 from last year, giving a vacancy rate of 0.9 per cent. compared to 1.2 per cent. in 2002. These figures reflect sustained Government investment and progress in the recruitment of teachers, which rose by 4,300, and support staff, up 8,300 in the same period, which should lead to efficiencies in advertising generally.

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to address the issue of age discrimination.

Stephen Twigg: Tackling the issue of age discrimination is an important part of the Department's approach to equality of opportunity, both in the way it delivers its policies and as regards its own staff.
	Our lifelong learning policies, which seek to encourage and enable adults to learn, improve their skills and enrich their lives are central to tackling the issues of age discrimination.
	For its own staff, my Department will comply with new legislation when it comes into force in 2006. In the meantime, action has continued to be taken to tackle negative attitudes towards older staff through training on valuing diversity and through the monitoring of recruitment, selection and appraisal processes. Recommendations in the Performance and Innovation Unit Report Winning the Generation Game have been implemented and, since 1999, all staff outside the Senior Civil Service can choose when they retire between age 6065, subject to normal fitness and efficiency rules. In addition, all our vacancy opportunities, internal and external secondments and rewards are open to people of all ages.

Age Discrimination

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on age discrimination.

Charles Clarke: My Department has integrated age into all its equal opportunities policies and is committed to eliminating unfair discrimination on the basis of age.
	It enthusiastically applies the Government's core principles on involving children and young people to ensure that our policies and services respond to the needs and aspirations of our younger customers. For example, it has just hosted a third consultation day for young people. Over 300 young people have had the opportunity to comment directly on the policies and services that affect them, and they are at the heart of the creative process of designing ways to communicate directly with my Department.
	Action has continued to be taken to tackle any negative attitudes towards older staff through training on valuing diversity and through the monitoring of recruitment, selection and appraisal processes. Recommendations in the Performance and Innovation Unit Report Winning the Generation Game have been implemented and, since 1999, all staff outside the Senior Civil Service can choose when they retire between age 6065, subject to normal fitness and efficiency rules. In addition, all our vacancy opportunities, internal and external secondments and rewards are open to people of all ages. My Department is currently considering the age issues in the European Employment Directive 2000/78/EC with a view to complying with the new legislation on age discrimination when it comes into force in 2006.

Agency Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds.

Charles Clarke: The following table gives the figures for the number of agency staff used and the related cost for the past two years.
	
		
			  2002 2003 
		
		
			 Number of agency staff 1,614 1,746 
			 Financial year 200102 200203 
			 Agency spend for the financial year () 1,780,629.70 2,688,149.33

Bologna Process

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to identify and address the impact on the development of educational programmes in United Kingdom universities of the proposals emerging from the Bologna process and subsequent initiatives.

Margaret Hodge: The UK higher education sector is taking forward work on elements of the Bologna process of European higher education reform, including credit transfer and progress files to ensure that qualifications are easily comparable. We continue to work closely with our UK higher education partners and the devolved administrations to assess the impact on UK higher education and to influence the debate on the way forward.

Capita

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many employees have been seconded from Capita to his Department since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

Charles Clarke: No Capita employees were seconded to my Department during this period.

Careers Service

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what careers services are available to pupils in school before they leave education; what plans he has to improve links between schools and local businesses; and if he will make a statement on support for pupils looking for career opportunities at the ages of 15 and 16.

Ivan Lewis: The responsibility for providing careers education and guidance to young people in England is shared between schools and the Connexions Service. Schools are responsible for delivering a curriculum-led programme of careers education to all students in Years 9 to 11. A new, non-statutory framework for careers education and guidancewhich includes recommended learning outcomes from careers education programmeswas issued to all schools, colleges and work-based training providers in March 2003. We have also signalled our intention to extend the current duty on schools to deliver a planned programme of careers education in Years 9 to 11, down to Years 7 and 8. The work of schools is complemented and strengthened by the Connexions Service, which provides access to information advice and guidance on a wide range of issuesincluding on learning and career opportunitiesto all 13 to 19-year-olds in England. The level and type of support provided is differentiated on the basis of individual need.
	The Department makes available 25 million a year, through the local Learning and Skills Councils contracting with education/business links organisations, to promote closer links between schools and business. We are working with them on ways of improving employer engagement with schools, in areas such as work experience placements, mentoring, enterprise activities and work-related learning generally.
	Responsibility for careers education and guidance in Scotland rests with the Scottish Parliament.

Child Minding and Day Care(Suspension of Registration) England Regulations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received about the Child Minding and Day Care (Suspension of Registration) (England) Regulations.

Maria Eagle: No Minister in either the Department for Work and Pensions or the Department for Education and Skills has received any representations about the Child Minding and Day Care (Suspension of Registration) (England) Regulations since they were laid before Parliament on 24 February 2003.

Class Sizes

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were in classes of 31 or more in infant schools or infant classes in primary schools in Brighton and Hove in each year since 199697.

David Miliband: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary schools: Key Stage 1 class sizes taught by one teacherPosition in January each year
		
			 Year Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more 
		
		
			 1997(28) 10,130 
			 1998(29) 3,422 
			 1999(29) 2,811 
			 2000(29) 2,262 
			 2001(29) 408 
			 2002(29) 0 
			 2003(29),(30) 0 
		
	
	(28) Before Local Government Re-organisation. Prior to 1998 Brighton and Hove was included with East Sussex.
	(29) After Local Government Re-organisation. Figures from 1998 onwards are not directly comparable to those for 1997.
	(30) Provisional. Final figures will be published in September 2003.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

Stephen Twigg: While the Department pays for some production costs of its annual report, these only cover the design and typesetting. The costs of printing are met directly by the publisher, The Stationery Office (ISO) and do not fall to the Department. The Department also buys in copies from the ISO to distribute internally and to our partners.
	The costs for the Department for Education and Employment 2001 Report was:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 Typesetting and design 33,813 
			 Buying in copies from ISO 18,600 
			 Total 52,413 
		
	
	Other costs of printing and publication are met directly by the publisher, The Stationery Office Limited (TSO), and do not fall to government.

Depression

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements there are for educating schoolchildren in how better to deal with (a) depression and (b) related emotional help and well-being problems.

David Miliband: Many schools actively adopt a variety of methods to help address the emotional needs of their pupils, including dealing with depression. Some adopt whole-school approaches, working to create a school environment with features designed to promote pupils' emotional well-being. Other schools choose actively to promote emotional well-being through the curriculum by using specific programmes designed to teach emotional, social and behavioural skills. Where individual pupils could benefit from more intensive support, schools may decide to involve them in individual or group work, such as nurture groups, anger-management training or bereavement support groups, to help address their particular problems. Many schools use a combination of these approaches.
	Schools within the Behaviour Improvement Project (BIP) are encouraged and advised on how to respond to the emotional needs of their pupils. In addition, the BIP funds the provision of multi-agency teams who help in the identification and support of those with, or at risk of developing social, emotional and behavioural problems including depression. Known as Behaviour and Education Support Teams (BESTs) they work in targeted primary and secondary schools, and in the community, alongside a range of other support structures and services. The BIP is fully operational in 34 LEAs and will apply to selected schools in a further 27 LEAs, which will be operational from September 2003. The Department is also looking at other ways of extending the spread of this work across schools, primarily through training and guidance.
	In June 2001, the DfES issued guidance, Promoting Children's Mental Health within Early Years and School Settings. This is designed to help teachers and others, working alongside mental health professionals, to promote children's mental health and to intervene effectively with those children experiencing problems. There is a section in the guidance on the interventions teachers might use to address specific mental health disorders including depression. Schools are also encouraged to work closely with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Research on effective joint working between schools and CAMHS is given in the DfES Research Report 412, published in April 2003.

Disabled Students

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to require the Office for Fair Access in Education to consider the access to higher education of students with disabilities in its remit.

Margaret Hodge: Students with disabilities are protected against discrimination in higher education, including admission, by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. Universities may also wish to include an ambition in their access agreement to widen participation to those with disabilities where appropriate. Access agreements must be approved by the Office for Fair Access.

Early Years Education

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children living in the Greater London area receive education at three or four years of age.

David Miliband: In January 2002, 89 per cent. of three or four-year-old children in Greater London received education in a private, voluntary, independent, special or maintained establishment.
	In every local education authority area there is an early education place for every four-year-old whose parents want one in either the maintained, private or voluntary sector. We have made the commitment that by April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all three-year-olds whose parents want one, will have access to a free, part-time early education place.
	The latest local authority figures on early year's provision in England were published in the Departments Statistical Bulletin 08/2002, Provision for Children Under Five Years of Age in England: January 2002, in December 2002. An electronic copy of which is available in the Library and on the DfES website: www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics

Education Action Zones

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many education action zones there are; what qualifies an area to be classified as a zone; and what action has been taken in these zones since they were established to improve education.

David Miliband: There are currently 72 statutory zones (EAZs) made up of over 1,300 schools throughout the country. In Round One, 25 statutory zones were set up between September 1998 and January 1999. A further 48 zones were established between September 1999 and April 2000 in Round Two.
	All zones were initially set up for a limited statutory term of three years. All Round One zones and many of the Round Two zones have had their terms extended to the maximum statutory period of five years. Preston EAZ transformed into an Excellence Cluster in December 2002 and was the pilot for our transformation strategy. EAZs have been set up in areas where there is a mixture of social and economic disadvantage where schools are tending to achieve levels of educational performance well below the national average.. They are in both urban and rural areas, wherever groups of schools want to take up the challenge of raising their educational standards.
	EAZs have given local partnerships the freedom and resources to propose innovative strategies that would be difficult to put into practise at the level of the individual schools. Partnerships typically comprise a mix of parents, early years providers, businesses, the LEA, community organisations, the Learning Skills Council, careers services, colleges, other statutory agencies (such as health authorities, the youth service and the police) and others.
	Zone initiatives generally focus on six main themes: improving the quality of teaching, improving the quality of learning, social inclusion, providing support to families, providing support to pupils and working with business and other organisations.
	As a result of these initiatives the following successes have been recorded:
	From 19992002 the percentage of pupils gaining 5+ A*-C GCSEs improved at a greater rate than the national average (4.7 per cent. compared to 3.6 per cent.);
	From 19992002 the percentage of pupils gaining L5+ at KS 3 improved at a greater rate than the national average for maths (6 per cent. compared to 5 per cent.) and science (13 per cent. compared to 12 per cent.) and at the same rate for English (3 per cent.);
	From 19992002 the percentage of pupils gaining L4+ at KS 2 improved at a greater rate than the national average in English (5 per cent. compared to 4 per cent.), maths (6 per cent. compared to 4 per cent.) and science (13 per cent. compared to 8 per cent.);
	From 19992002 the percentage of pupils gaining L2+ at KS 1 improved at twice the national rate in reading (4 per cent. compared to 2 per cent.) and at a greater rate than the national average for writing and maths (both 5 per cent. compared to 3 per cent.).
	Participation of over 1000 businesses across the zone programme, bringing in extra resources, new skills and management expertise to improve the delivery of education; Over 65 million private sector cash and in-kind sponsorship raised by zones;
	A significant reduction in the number of EAZ schools on special measures;
	Her Majesty's Chief Inspector's (HMCI) Annual Report, published by OFSTED in February 2002 described most of the first round EAZs inspected as making reasonable progress, and said that almost four-fifths of the major individual initiatives covered in detail were beginning to offer good value at the time of the inspections.
	Our Transformation Strategy on the future of EAZs, announced in November 2001, aims to continue to support ex-EAZ schools through the Excellence in Cities (EiC) initiative. When zones come to the end of their five-year statutory period, they will transform either to an EiC Action Zone in an EiC area, or an Excellence Cluster outside of an EiC area. The ethos of the Transformation Strategy is to rationalise our area-based programmes for under performing schools, to target resources where they are most needed and to reduce the burden and bureaucracy on these struggling schools.

Education Funding (Wandsworth)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussion he has had with the London Borough of Wandsworth on education funding for the borough for the year 200304; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: 1 met Councillors and officers from London Borough of Wandsworth on 4 March 2003 to discuss the council's proposed schools budget. The Department wrote to Wandsworth LEA on 2 May about their schools budget and received a reply on 12 May.

Education Spending Formulae

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations he has received from London local authorities on education formula spending shares and the addition of the Standard Fund Grant; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from London education authorities about school funding issues. He made a statement to the House on 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 13WS.

Employee Development Schemes

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with the Treasury relating to the tax-exempt status of educational benefits received through employee development schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We have had no specific discussions with the Treasury concerning the tax status of employee development schemes.

Examinations

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of students achieved (a) one, (b) one to three and (c) more than three A to E grade A Levels (i) in England, (ii) in Teesside, and (iii) at schools and colleges in the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency in the last year for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The percentage of students achieving (a) one and (b) one to three A to E grades and (c) more than three A to E grades at GCE/VCE A Level in England , Teesside and Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East in 2001/02:
	
		Percentage
		
			  Number of A Levels achieved 
			  One One to three Four or more 
		
		
			 England 20.6 75.0 20.1 
			 Teesside 28.0 72.9 21.6 
			 Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East 20.6 64.2 29.9

Examinations

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to alter the administration of examinations.

David Miliband: Following Mike Tomlinson's report into A Level Standards, the QCA has significantly amended the Code of Practice governing examinations and provided clear guidance on the standards for AS and A Level examinations. We, QCA and the awarding bodies are considering Mike Tomlinson's longer term recommendations to remove unnecessary differences in the administrative process; raise the professional status of examining; and increase the use of ICT in examinations and assessment.
	From September 2003, under the terms of the School Workforce Agreement, the way in which exams are administered in schools will change. Teachers will no longer be routinely required to administer public and external examinations. From September 2005, this will include the invigilation of external and public examinations.

Further/Higher Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has in conjunction with the Learning and Skills Council to introduce standing arrangements to reduce bureaucracy in the further education sector.

Margaret Hodge: The DfES and the LSC are committed to reducing the burden of bureaucracy for providers across the whole of the learning and skills sector. We will establish an independent gatekeeper group to reduce bureaucracy. The group will assess the bureaucratic impact of new and existing policies and practices on providers in the sector. It will challenge the Department and the LSC to change these, and advise on how this can best be done. The group will begin its work this summer.

Further/Higher Education

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds in the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency have gone on to (a) further and (b) higher education in each of the last five years; what percentage these figures represent of the total number of 16 to 18-year-olds in the area; and what the average is in England for such persons.

Ivan Lewis: Data on the percentage of students participating in post-compulsory education are not calculated for areas smaller than LEAs as reliable estimates cannot be made. Participation rates at sub-national level are available only for 16 and 17-year-olds.
	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency is divided between Redcar and Cleveland LEA and Middlesbrough LEA. The percentage of 16 and 17-year-olds participating in full-time further education for these two LEAs and England in each of the last five years, for which data are available, are set out in the following table.
	
		Participation in full-time further education -- Percentage of age group
		
			  End 1996 End 1997 End 1998 End 1999 End 2000 
		
		
			 16-year-olds  
			 Middlesbrough LEA 61 59 58 68 68 
			 Redcar  Cleveland LEA 60 59 61 64 62 
			 England 70 70 70 71 71 
			 17-year-olds  
			 Middlesbrough LEA 46 45 48 50 55 
			 Redcar  Cleveland LEA 51 46 49 51 51 
			 England 57 57 57 58 58 
		
	
	Note:
	Population data do not include any revisions following the 2001 census
	Source
	DfES Statistical Bulletin, published 16 December 2002
	Participation rates by LEA for 16 and 17-year-olds are published in an annual statistical bulletin, 'Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17-Year-Olds in Each Local Area in England'. This bulletin is available on the departmental website www. dfes.gov.uk/statistics
	Figures for the number of students who enter higher education are not collated centrally on a constituency basis. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency is divided between Redcar and Cleveland LEA and Middlesbrough LEA. The proportion of students domiciled in these two LEAs and England, aged 18 and accepted through UCAS to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK is given in the following table.
	
		Autumn Entry
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Middlesbrough LEA  
			 17 year-old-population 2,100 2,100 2,000 2,100 2,100 
			 18 year-olds accepted to HE 314 325 340 406 379 
			 Proportion entering Higher Education(31) 14.6 15.6 16.9 19.4 18.4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland LEA  
			 17-year-old population 2,000 1,900 1,900 1,800 1,900 
			 18-year-olds accepted to HE 328 341 302 353 334 
			 Proportion entering Higher Education(31) 16.4 17.8 16.0 19.4 17.1 
			 England  
			 17-year-old population 619,700 612,100 601 ,000 610,900 613,600 
			 18-year-olds accepted to HE 124,533 123,441 123,708 131,322 134,840 
			 Proportion entering Higher Education(31) 20.1 20.2 20.6 21 5 22.0 
		
	
	(31) Percentage
	Note
	Participation rates have been calculated using the 17-year-old population from the previous year to reduce the distortion caused to LEA populations by the migration of students to their place of study. England figures include a very small number of accepted applicants of unknown English domicile. Population figures relate to persons aged 17 at 31 August in the year prior to entry, counts taken at the following 1 January; accepted applicants are aged 18 at 30 September in the year of entry.

Further/Higher Education

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on (a) plans for merger and (b) recent closures of further and higher education institutions, with particular reference to proposals that affect Hampshire.

Margaret Hodge: I am not aware of plans to merge or close any further or higher education institution in Hampshire. There are always a number of potential changes being discussed locally; the majority of which do not result in a formal proposal to the Secretary of State. More further and higher education institutions are entering into strategic alliances to increase collaboration both within each sector and across sectors. However, one school sixth form in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Learning and Skills Council Area has recently decided to close due to falling numbers of students in an area well provided with high quality colleges.

Further/Higher Education

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many students were admitted to higher education from each socio-economic group in each academic year since 1997;
	(2)  how many applicants to higher education were from each socio-economic group, in each academic year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The available information, as given in the table, covers only those who apply to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS); data on the family background of students applying to part-time courses are not held centrally. In 2002 UCAS moved to recording social class using the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) measure. There is no method of converting between the two measures of social class. As a result, the figures for 2002 entry are given in a separate table. There was an increase in entrants in 1997/98 related partly to changes in the funding arrangements for higher education, with students choosing to enter HE in that year rather than wait until 1998/99. There was a corresponding reduction in 1998/99 before entrants started to increase again in 1999/00.
	The Government are committed to raising the participation rates for people from less affluent backgrounds, and has introduced the Aimhigher programme, which is targeted at raising attainment and aspirations among young people who traditionally would not consider going to university.
	
		UK domiciled applicants and accepted applicants via UCAS to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses in the UK from 1996 to 2001 -- Thousand
		
			  Year of entry: 
			 Applicants 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Professional 49.9 48.4 47.0 46.5 45.8 45.8 
			 Intermediate 139.0 150.3 147.3 144.8 144.7 144.8 
			 Skilled non-manual 43.0 49.6 47.1 47.1 48.1 48.1 
			 Skilled manual 58.2 60.7 58.9 58.5 57.2 60.6 
			 Partly skilled 28.3 32.2 31.0 30.8 31.7 29.5 
			 Unskilled 7.0 7.9 7.3 7.5 7.3 7.1 
			 Unknown 39.4 49.2 51.0 53.5 54.3 63.6 
			 Total 364.9 398.3 389.6 388.7 389.1 399.6 
			 Accepted applicants   
			 Professional 39.3 39.6 38.5 38.9 38.8 39.7 
			 Intermediate 105.0 117.4 115.6 115.7 117.7 120.8 
			 Skilled non-manual 31.3 37.3 35.6 36.3 37.8 38.8 
			 Skilled manual 40.9 44.8 44.2 44.5 44.4 48.4 
			 Partly skilled 19.9 23.5 22.7 23.1 24.2 23.1 
			 Unskilled 4.9 5.6 5.3 5.5 5.5 5.6 
			 Unknown 27.1 35.0 36.6 39.1 40.3 49.0 
			 Total 268.3 303.3 298.2 303.1 308.7 325.5 
		
	
	
		UK domiciled applicants and accepted applicants via UCAS to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses in the UK in 2002 -- Thousand
		
			 Applicants 2002 entry 
		
		
			 Higher managerial and professional occupations 71.1 
			 Lower managerial and professional occupations 99.4 
			 Intermediate occupations 51.0 
			 Small employers and own account workers 24.5 
			 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 15.6 
			 Semi-routine occupations 43.5 
			 Routine occupations 19.9 
			 Unknown 76.9 
			 Total 401.9 
			 Acceptances  
			 Higher managerial and professional occupations 61.4 
			 Lower managerial and professional occupations 83.5 
			 Intermediate occupations 42.1 
			 Small employers and own account workers 20.1 
			 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 12.8 
			 Semi-routine occupations 34.6 
			 Routine occupations 15.9 
			 Unknown 61.3 
			 Total 331.7

Further/Higher Education

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of undergraduates failed to complete a course at a higher education institution, broken down by institution and course title, in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The available information on non-completion rates is contained in Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), copies of which are available from the House Library. The figures cover full-time first degree courses only, and show, for each individual HE institution in the UK, the proportion of entrants who failed to complete their course. Copies of the HEFCE publication are available for students starting courses in 199697, 199798, 199899 and 19992000. The next edition, covering students starting courses in 2000/01, is scheduled for publication in autumn 2003.
	Nationally, the non-completion rate has remained broadly the same at 1718 per cent. since 199192, a period of considerable expansion of student numbers.
	Figures published in 2002 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the UK has one of the lowest non-completion rates among OECD countries.

Further/Higher Education

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the impact of its higher education proposals on the UK economy.

Margaret Hodge: The Government's White Paper, The future of higher education, sets out in broad terms the economic case for expanding and improving higher education.
	Officials in my Department are currently developing a Regulatory Impact Assessment which will consider in more detail the costs and benefits of our higher education proposals on business and the sector.

ICT

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes have been made to IT lessons in schools since 1997; what advanced courses are available to students who are particularly proficient; and if he will make a statement on levels of computer provision.

David Miliband: ICT is a priority for this Government and is compulsory for all pupils aged five to 16. We have put in place the infrastructure to enable schools to use ICT in teaching and learning across the curriculum by equipping schools with modern ICT facilities; creating a National Grid for Learning that provides a rich source of classroom materials and providing training for teachers through the New Opportunities Fund. Our Key Stage 3 strategy for 11 to 14-year-olds has a specific focus on teaching and learning using ICT. Our Key Stage 4 proposals for 14 to 16-year-olds include greater development of ICT skills through other subjects and greater opportunity for pupils to gain qualifications which recognise their ICT capability. Ofsted reports show ICT teaching is good in over three primary schools in five and is generally sound in secondary schools.
	There is a range of courses designed to allow students to demonstrate their proficiency in ICT. For students who wish to develop their skills as advanced ICT users, the GCE A level is available. Alternatively, the GCE A level in computing is appropriate for proficient students with aspirations of becoming ICT specialists.
	In 2002 there was an average of one computer for every 9.7 pupils in primary schools and one for every six pupils in secondary schools. This compares with one for every 17.6 pupils in primary and one per 8.7 pupils in secondary schools in 1998. Over 100,000 teachers have received a computer through centrally-funded initiatives such as the Laptops for Teachers scheme.

ICT

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his Department's strategy for developing information and communications technology in schools.

Charles Clarke: Proposals for a cross-sector strategy for e-learning will be published later this year. However, Fulfilling the Potential, a document clarifying the directions we would like schools to travel with information and communications technologies, and the outcome we seek, was published on 21 May 2003. Copies of this have been placed in the Library.

Learning and Skills Council

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when it will be possible to refer complaints about the Learning and Skills Council to the Parliamentary Ombudsman; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Learning and Skills Council will be brought under the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman in the near future. I will write to the hon. Member when this occurs. In the meantime the Learning and Skills Council does have systems in place for handling complaints and the overwhelming majority are dealt with effectively.

Local Education Authority Funding

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average funding per pupil for local education authorities in England and Wales was in each of the last two years; and what the funding per pupil for the East Riding of Yorkshire was in each year.

David Miliband: My Department is not responsible for funding in Wales. The information requested for England and East Riding of Yorkshire is contained in the following table:
	
		Total funding per pupil aged 4 to 19
		
			  200102 200203 
		
		
			 England 3,390 3,500 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 3,060 3,150 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures reflect education SSA settlement figures (all sub-blocks, excluding, where relevant, the funding for four-year-olds at private, voluntary and independent institutions) plus all revenue grants in DfES's departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged 4 to 19 (excluding EMA and a handful of others where it is not possible to get figures on a comparable basis over time).
	2. The pupil numbers used to convert  million figures to  per pupil are the maintained pupils underlying the SSA settlement calculations.
	3. 200203 SSA figures are net LSC i.e. do not include the element for LSC allocations in respect of sixth forms. LSC is treated as grant.
	4. Figures are as reported by LEAs and are taken from the 200203 section 52 budget statements.
	5. Real terms, 200102 prices, based on GDP deflators as at April 2003.
	6. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many sick days were lost over the last year by his Department through staff mental health problems.

Charles Clarke: My Department is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and to maintain its efforts to try and meet the 2003 target for reduced sickness absence as set out in its Service Delivery Agreement.
	In line with its legal obligation, the Department aims to provide a safe working environment for all its employees and remains committed to meeting the targets for reducing the number of working days lost due to work related injuries and illness set out in the Government's Revitalising Health and Safety initiative. These have been incorporated into the Departmental Health and Safety Policy statement.
	In the calendar year 2002, 9473 days in DfES were lost because of sick leave due to anxiety, depression, stress and other mental illness.

Micro Schools Initiative

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the Micro Schools Initiative in London.

Stephen Twigg: There is no 'Micro Schools Initiative' as such in London. In our recent document The London Challenge: Transforming London Secondary Schools, we say that as part of the London Challenge programme, we will support the development of innovations which have been successfully tried in other urban schools. We give as an example the 'small schools' model, which breaks large schools into more manageable and personal units, and which has been successfully tried in some parts of the United States of America.

Music

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) peripatetic and (b) staff musical instrument teachers work in state schools in Leeds; how many full-time equivalent staff there are; and what the average number of hours worked per week was in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Miliband: In January 2002 there were 6,080 full-time equivalent regular teachers in the maintained sector in Leeds, 60 of whom were peripatetic. The number of musical instrument teachers in the maintained schools sector is not collected centrally.
	The average number of hours worked for all full-time teachers in the maintained schools sector in England in March 2000 was 52.8 hours per week during term time. Figures are not available at local authority level.

Music

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what provisions are available for assisting talented musicians from Leeds West in state schools to achieve excellence as musicians;
	(2)  how many pupils in each year group (a) had access to and (b) took up musical instrument lessons at schools in the Leeds West constituency in the latest year for which figures are available;
	(3)  what percentage of state-educated pupils in the Leeds West constituency (a) had access to and (b) took up musical instrument lessons at schools in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The Department does not collect this information centrally, either by year group or at constituency level.
	However, as a result of last year's national survey we do now have data on the overall music provision for schools provided by LEA Music Services. LEAs returned this data on a confidential basis and so figures for individual LEAs cannot be released. I can, however, offer a national estimate of the number of pupils learning a musical instrument. According to the survey returns:
	in England, 253,000 pupils at Key Stage 2 are currently receiving regular instrumental or vocal tuition provided by LEA Music Services (around 10.3 per cent of all Key Stage two pupils on average) 454,600 pupils in Key Stages 14 are receiving instrumental or vocal tuition provided by LEA Music Services (around 8 per cent of pupils on average).
	Further data from the survey, at national level, are available in the form of a published report. The report can be found on the DfES Music Services website at www.dfes.gov.uk/musicservices. Hard copies have been placed in the House Library.
	The Department is strongly committed to music education and we have a number of projects underway to identify and nurture talented young musicians. Talented Leeds pupils will have access to Junior Conservatoires such as the Leeds College of Music and the National Youth Orchestra as well as the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Music Standards Fund

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement about the (a) money allocated under and (b) students benefiting from the Music Standards Fund and the Music and Dance Scheme in (i) the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, (ii) Teesside and (iii) the Government Office north east region.

David Miliband: The information requested relating to the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) is not available centrally. MDS provision in the north east is known to be weak, which is why the Department is helping to pilot a new weekend music school at The Sage, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear to benefit talented children in the region.
	The Music Standards Fund can be spent in any way which enhances opportunities for pupils to access musical education of high quality, so potentially all students in an area benefit from its provision. The funds allocated to each area requested are as follows.
	
		
			 LEA/ Area/Region MSF Allocation 200304 
		
		
			 Redcar and Cleveland LEA (32)1,336,700 
			 Middlesbrough LEA (32)1,366,700 
			 Teeside Area 1,513,700 
			 Government Office North East 4,287,016 
		
	
	(32) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency covers both Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough LEAs. Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees LEAs submitted a joint MSF bid as the Tees Valley Music Project and this allocation covers all four LEAs.

National Professional Qualification for Headship

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of new entrants to the NPQH leadership qualifications are (a) from ethnic minorities, (b) have disabilities and (c) are women; and what the percentages are in the workforce as a whole.

Ivan Lewis: 63 per cent. of new entrants to the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) are women. Information about ethnicity and disability is provided on a voluntary basis, but of those who supplied this information, 3 per cent. are from ethnic minorities and 1 per cent. consider themselves disabled within the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
	In the workforce as a whole, 68.7 per cent. of teachers are women. Data on ethnic minorities and disabilities are not held centrally.

Office of Fair Access

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the milestones for assessing progress in widening participation referred to on page 19 of Widening Participation in Higher Education are which he intends to set out in guidance to the Office of Fair Access for it to apply to individual universities; and whether admissions from (a) type of schools and (b) family social class are to play a part in such milestones.

Margaret Hodge: The milestones used in the access agreement will be determined by each institution and not by my RHF. It will be for each institution to decide on the milestones that are appropriate to its circumstances. As we have explained in 'Widening Participation in Higher Education', no single indicator can give a rounded view of progress towards widening participation and the institution will be able to draw on a range of data.

Office of Fair Access

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to assess the compatibility of the statement of principles of the Office of Fair Access with the European Convention on Human Rights, with special reference to the right to education.

Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State is confident that the proposal to create the Office for Fair Access is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Ofsted

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions have taken place between his Department and Ofsted concerning media releases by Ofsted prior to their issue; whether his Department approves Ofsted media releases prior to issue; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Ofsted does not clear media releases with the Department. The Department is often consulted about the timing of media events but not for the purposes of clearance. Ofsted is a separate non-Ministerial department and decisions about those releases are therefore a matter for HM Chief Inspector.

Ofsted

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions have taken place between his Department and Ofsted concerning the report by the Adult Learning Inspectorate on College and Area Wide Inspections; whether his Department approved the report prior to publication; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The College and Area-wide Inspections Report is a joint report from Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate. Ofsted informed my Department of the content of the report prior to publication. Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate reports are independent and not subject to the approval of my Department.
	There is a considerable amount of useful detail in the report, much of which is in line with previous reports from Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate.
	The report recognises there is much good provision in colleges, 90 per cent. of lessons are assessed as satisfactory or better. It also highlights important areas where performance needs to improve.
	This information has been used in the design of our reform programme set out in the document 'Success for All' published in November 2002. These reforms are backed by substantial additional funding for colleges. The Success for All priorities are: improving the responsiveness and quality of provision, promoting excellence in teaching and learning, developing leaders, teachers, trainers and support staff and developing a new framework for quality and success.

Part-time Students

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure parity of access to leading research-intensive higher education institutions between part-time students and undergraduates and postgraduates;
	(2)  what action he is taking to ensure that part-time students have access to the full range of academic programmes available to their full-time equivalents.

Margaret Hodge: The distribution of places between full and part-time study is not planned centrally. We encourage flexible and part-time provision, and have introduced the foundation degree, which is designed to be flexible, and which has had very good take-up among part-time students. In the White Paper we set out proposals to improve the financial support for part-time students including providing fee support for those on low incomes, a new means tested grant to help with the costs faced by the students and support for childcare costs. We have also introduced a range of measures to encourage wider participation more generally, including at postgraduate level.

Part-time Students

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he will give to the proposed Office for Fair Access to ensure that part-time students are not disadvantaged in access to higher education.

Margaret Hodge: The remit of the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) will be restricted to matters relating to those students whose fees are subject to statutory limits. Part-time students will therefore fall outside the remit of OFFA. However, we strongly encourage institutions to widen access and it will be open to universities to include in the access agreements they submit to OFFA measures which particularly address the needs of part-time students.

Part-time Students

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how he will monitor the relative effects of his proposals for higher education reform upon (a) part-time students and (b) full-time students, with particular reference to (i) entitlement and access to welfare and (ii) support services while on their courses.

Margaret Hodge: We will continue to monitor the effect of changes in student support policy on students' entitlement to welfare benefits including discussions at official level with the Department for Work and Pensions. However, only a minority of students are eligible for benefits. We do not expect major changes in benefit levels for the minority of part-time students currently eligible as a result of our improved package of support for part-time students from 200405. We will monitor the impact of the Higher Education Grant for the small numbers of full-time students, largely lone parents and the disabled, who receive housing benefit and, in some cases, income support.
	It is important that student services in higher education institutions develop in order to support a more diverse student population as we widen access. Institutions are however responsible for deciding what services they need to provide and how best to deliver them in light of their circumstances and those of their students. One measure of their success is the rate of student retention. HEFCE will be monitoring the performance of individual institutions in this area through the continued publication of performance indicators and will be working with institutions to bear down on non-completion.

Physics

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he has taken to encourage young women to take up physics A Level.

David Miliband: We are working closely with our colleagues in the Promoting SET for Women Unit at the DTI to take forward recommendations made in Baroness Greenfield's report, SET Fair. From September 2003, a new science GCSE, Science in the 21st Century, will be piloted in 50 schools. The aim is to provide a sound and stimulating science education for all students whether they become consumers, users or producers of science. We are currently consulting on the programme of study for science at Key Stage 4, following a review by the QCA. In partnership with the Wellcome Trust, we are creating a national network of science learning centres that will provide innovative training for science teachers and technicians, aiming to bring the excitement of science into the classroom, including encouraging more young women to continue studying science post-16. We are also developing innovative materials and teacher training to improve the teaching and learning of A Level biology, chemistry and physics. We also fund specific initiatives that aim to promote physics to young people including the British Physics Olympiad.

Positive Activities for Young People

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the relationship between Positive Activities for Young People and the Schools Behaviour Improvement Programme.

Ivan Lewis: Behaviour Improvement Programme schools (BIPs) are key partners in the Positive Activities for Young People programme (PAYP). One of the delivery requirements of PAYP is the full consultation and involvement of schools in Behaviour Improvement Programme areas so that young people at risk of truancy are identified.
	It is expected that a significant percentage of the cohort targeted by Lead Delivery Agents will be from Behaviour Improvement Programme schools. It is also envisaged that the relationship between school-based key workers (such as Learning Mentors, Behaviour and Educational Support Teams) and the additional Connexions Personal Adviser Key Workers recruited for PAYP will be crucial in ensuring continuity of support for targeted young people. LEA involvement in the Positive Activities for Young People programme will help determine how schemes fit in with existing activities carried out through BIPs.
	It is expected that both programmes (in areas where they co-exist), will form continuous support for vulnerable young people in and out of school.

Primary School League Tables

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has for primary school league tables.

David Miliband: Our plans for primary schools performance tables are discussed in detail in two recent publications: Consultation on Publication of School and College Performance Tables in 2003 and Excellence and EnjoymentA Strategy for Primary Schools. Immediate changes which we intend to introduce this year (subject to consultation) are:
	the addition of a Key Stage 1 (KS1) to Key Stage 2 (KS2) value added (VA) measure which will show progress schools help pupils make relative to their different starting points; and
	the separate reporting of the percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 in KS2 English, maths, and science, showing the extent to which schools help pupils reach above the level expected by the end of KS2.
	But we recognise that more needs to be done in terms of improving and refining the information in the tables and are exploring further possible changes for the future. Views on some proposals on how the tables might better reflect a school's performance are sought and discussed in the primary document and include:
	extending and refining the coverage of VA calculations to include the use of P Scales so as to include the achievements of pupils working below the level assessed by the National Curriculum tests;
	the possibility of omitting certain defined categories of pupils with special educational needs from the tablessuch as those with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties;
	a means of reflecting the breadth and richness of schools curriculum, or the extent to which they are inclusive, for example, by publishing the headline judgements from recent Ofsted reports on schools; and
	exploring the possibility of offering more information allowing comparisons against schools in similar circumstances.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Stephen Twigg: Information on PSA targets is published on the DfES website and included in routine publications such as departmental reports and autumn performance reports, which involve no significant extra cost. Other publicity includes the strategic framework document 'Education and Skills: Delivering Results, A Strategy to 2006', which sets out the Department's key objectives and how they will be delivered, including PSA targets. The cost of this document, which is used by both staff and a variety of external audiences, was 19,514.25; this includes design, typesetting and both the first and second print runs.

Public-Private Partnerships

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many PPP bids were received to provide schools in Northamptonshire in the recent bid process; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: 56 bids were submitted by Local Education Authorities with a total value in excess of 4 billion. None of the bids was to provide schools in Northamptonshire. Details of the projects prioritised can be found in the Press Notice 2003/0055 issued by the Department on 31 March 2003, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Qualifications

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the percentage was of those completing statutory school with no recognised qualifications in (a) 1973, (b) 1980, (c) 1985, (d) 1990, (e) 1995, (f) 2000 and (g) for the latest year for which information is available.

David Miliband: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The percentage of 15-year-old pupils that failed to achieve a GCE O-level, CSE grade 15, GCSE grade A*-G or the GNVQ equivalent are:
	
		
			 Academic year Percentage 
		
		
			 1972/73(33) 7.3 
			 1979/80(33) 12.3 
			 1984/85(33) 9.7 
			 1989/90 7.3 
			 1994/95 8.1 
			 1999/2000 5.6 
			 2001/02 5.4 
		
	
	(33) Figures are based on school leavers of any age

Religious Schools

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many religious schools there are; what Government funding is provided to these schools; what proposals he has to create state-funded religious schools; and what assessment he has made on the effects of religious segregation in state education.

David Miliband: There are 6,938 state funded schools with a religious character in England.
	Schools with a religious character, often called faith schools or religious schools, are funded by local education authorities for their recurrent costs on the same basis as other maintained schools of the same type, ie primary or secondary. Government grants, for example, Standards Fund grant, are also payable on the same basis as for other maintained schools of the same type.
	Voluntary Aided (VA) schools, irrespective of whether or not they are faith schools, are eligible for capital funding by grant from my Department. VA schools are paid on a similar basis to other categories of schools, but the governing body must usually pay at least 10 per cent. of the costs of capital work.
	Capital funding for schools not in the voluntary aided sector, irrespective of whether or not they are faith schools, is provided on the same basis for all categories of the same type of maintained schools, including the allocation of direct capital funding on the basis of a national formula, and access to local education authority formulaic funding in line with the priorities of the local asset management plan.
	It is for promoters to put forward proposals to establish a school. Any new faith school must have the agreement of parents and the local community. Most decisions about whether or not a new faith school should open in England will be made locallyby the School Organisation Committee for the area, following local consultation, or by the Schools Adjudicator if the Committee cannot agree. In the case where a local education authority identifies a need for an additional secondary school, new procedures from 1 June will require them to hold a competition to run it and the Secretary of State will make the decision, after receiving comments from the School Organisation Committee.
	At present there is no right of appeal against unanimous rejection by the School Organisation Committee: in future promoters who are not represented on the School Organisation Committee, including those from minority faiths, will be able to appeal to the Schools Adjudicator.
	We have not made an assessment of the effects of religious segregation in state education. That is because we remain committed to ensuring that inclusiveness is at the heart of faith school policy, as recommended by the report Building Cohesive Communities produced by the interdepartmental Ministerial Group on Public Order and Community Cohesion in December 2001.

School Budget Deficit (Shropshire)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget deficit is for schools in Shropshire in financial year 200304.

David Miliband: The information requested by the hon. Member is not collected by my Department. This information should be available from the local education authority.

School Catering

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the (a) quantity, (b) quality and (c) source of non-UK produced eggs used in school catering.

Stephen Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills does not hold any information on the quality, quantity or source of non-UK produced eggs used in school catering. It is the responsibility of the LEA or schools with delegated budgets to decide on the products they use in the preparation of school meals.

School Catering

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average amount spent on a school meal by children is in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local education authority area.

Stephen Twigg: Information on the average amount spent on school meals is not collected centrally.

School Catering

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in each local education authority area are entitled to free school meals.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

School Inspection

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of (a) Year 7, (b) Year 8, (c) Year 9, (d) Year 10 and (e) Year 11 lessons seen by Ofsted in each year from 1995 to 2001 were recorded as set.

David Miliband: This is a matter for Ofsted. The HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

School Inspection

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of Key Stage 1 classes inspected in 200102 contained 30 pupils or over.

David Miliband: This is a matter for Ofsted. The HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

School Software

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action his Department is taking to increase the confidence of schools in the use of open source software.

Charles Clarke: The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta), which is the Government's lead agency for ICT in education, has published a number of documents on its ICT Advice website that provide information about open source software. They are:
	What is open source software?
	http://www.ictadvice.org.uk/index.php?section=tecat=00arid=1798
	Using open source software
	http://www.ictadvice.org.uk/index.php?section=apcat=004006rid=1858
	How to choose between software licenses
	http://ictadvice.org.uk/index.php?section=appagenum=1NextStart=1rid=1005rr=1
	Licensing electronic materials: advice and issues for schools
	http://www.ictadvice.org.uk/downloads/guidance doc/licensing electronic.doc
	These articles put open source in the context of other licensing options, making schools aware that there are choices.

School Software

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have signed a Microsoft Schools Agreement contract.

Charles Clarke: The Government do not collect this information. Schools are free to make their own arrangements about what software to use and how to pay for it. The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta), which is the Government's lead agency for ICT in education, has published a number of documents on its ICT Advice website that help schools to make informed choices. They include:
	How to choose between software licenses http://ictadvice.org.uk/index.php?section=appagenum=1NextStart=1rid=1005rr=1
	How to upgrade software http://www.ictadvice.org.uk/index.php?section=apcat=004006rid=1006
	Microsoft's own licensing information can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/microsoft-licensing/

Schools Budgets

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on schools budgets in 200304 in relation to teaching staff.

David Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House on 15 May 2003 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. It is now for local authorities and schools to consider the implications for school budgets including teaching staff.

Schools Budgets

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the funding was per pupil in the Brighton and Hove LEA in each year since 199697.

David Miliband: The table shows total funding per pupil in Brighton and Hove since 199798. The local government reorganisation means that data for 199697 does not conform to current boundaries so comparable figures are not available.
	
		Brighton and Hove LEA -- 
		
			 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			  
			  
			 2,630 2,750 2,920 3,190 3,420 3,610 3,770 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures reflect education SSA/EFS settlement (all sub-blocks) plus revenue grants in DfES departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to EPS pupils aged 3 to 19.
	2. Figures exclude EMAs and grants not allocated at LEA level for all years and the pensions transfer to EFS and LSC for 200304.
	3. The pupil numbers used are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations plus PLASC 3 yos maintained pupils and estimated 34 yos funded through state support in maintained and other educational institutions where these are not included in the SSA pupil numbers.
	4. 199798 figures for LEAs subject to local government reorganisation in that year have been estimated, pro-rata to their post LGR figures.
	5. 200304 figures are forecasts.
	6. Figures are in cash term and rounded to the nearest 10.

Schools Budgets

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact on secondary school budgets of the new system of funding sixth forms via learning and skills councils; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: For the academic year 2003/03, the LSC has allocated 1.418 billion to LEAs for school sixth form and post-16 Special Education Needs provision within agreed timescales. In this, the first year of LSC funding, 67 per cent. of all sixth forms are on the new LSC formula at funding rates higher than historical levels of funding. The remaining schools, previously on more generous levels of funding, are protected by our Real Terms Guarantee to ensure funding is maintained in real terms at historic levels, provided pupil numbers are maintained. The LSC has been responsive to the higher than expected growth in pupil numbers and higher than expected pupil retention in school sixth forms in 2002/03. The figure above includes additional sums to those originally planned, which the LSC has now allocated to school sixth form funding for 2002/03. Our assessment of the impact of the new LSC funding system on secondary schools with sixth forms is that it has been beneficial in ensuring that funding levels are protected or increased in real terms, and that successful school sixth forms are rewarded.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

Charles Clarke: My Department is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and is maintaining its efforts to meet the 2003 target for reduced sickness absence as set out in its Service Delivery Agreement.
	The number of staff who took periods of sick leave in excess of 21 days in each of the last two calendar years was:
	2002: 358
	2001: 341

Standards Fund

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the future of the Standards Fund for Teaching Assistants and School Support Staff;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the consultation that took place prior to the proposal for the withdrawal of the Standards Fund for Teaching Assistants and School Support Staff; and which organisations were consulted prior to the proposal.

David Miliband: For 200304 the previous Teaching Assistants Grant and Small Schools Fund were merged to form the Support Staff Grant, which contributes towards the salary costs of support staff in schools. The Government will work in partnership with local authorities and schools to identify changes that need to be made to the education funding system for 200405, so that all schools can expect to receive a reasonable per pupil settlement in that year. This will include determining the right balance between support through general grant and through ring-fenced and targeted grant, including the grants currently within the Standards Fund, such as the School Support Staff Grant. The Government will ensure that changes are in place in good time to allow LEAs and schools to plan for 200405 and so provide increased predictability and stability in school funding.
	The Education Funding Strategy Group, which met between February 2001 and April 2002, included representatives from local government, the unions representing teachers and support staff, schools governors' organisations and the churches. The Group's Report stated that there was general agreement that the scale of specific and special grants should be significantly reduced, including the Standards Fund. This conclusion informed decisions made about the future of specific grants following the 2002 Spending Review, which included a proposal to end the Standards Fund grants for School Support Staff from 200405.

Standards Fund

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of the discontinuation of major Standards Funds.

David Miliband: The Government has ended some Standards Fund grants in 200304 in order to allow other priorities to be supported from the Fund, without increasing the overall proportion of ring-fenced funding for local authorities and schools. The Government recognises that this has resulted in a greater variation of winners and losers between local education authorities and between individual schools than would be expected in a normal year.
	The Government will continue work in partnership with local authorities and schools to identify changes that need to be made to the education funding system for 200405, so that all schools can expect to receive a reasonable per pupil settlement in that year. This will include determining the right balance between support through general grant and through ring-fenced and targeted grant, including the Standards Fund. The Government will ensure that changes are in place in good time to allow LEAs and schools to plan for 200405 and so provide increased predictability and stability in school funding.

Standards Fund

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to alter the boundaries in the School Standards Grant.

David Miliband: The amounts of School Standards Grant for 200405 and 200506 were announced in December 2002. However, we review annually the basis on which grant is paid, including the various thresholds used to determine amounts payable to each school. Any changes to the levels already announced will be notified to local education authorities and schools later in 2003.

Standards Fund

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what additional resources are available to relieve the shortages of funding for education services in Coventry City Council.

David Miliband: Coventry City Council received a 6.5 per cent. increase in Education Formula Spending Share for 200304. It passed on 106 per cent. of the increase in schools funding to its schools budget resulting in an 8.3 per cent. increase. It is for the local education authority, in consultation with its schools forum to decide how to use this to meet the needs of Coventry's schools.

Student Finance

Si�n Simon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department is taking to simplify the procedure of providing student support.

Margaret Hodge: We are modernising the delivery of statutory student support so that for the academic year 2004/05 students will need to complete fewer application forms, the burden on students to provide information and evidence will be reduced and students will be able to apply for and obtain information about student support via the internet. We are also moving towards paying all students electronically directly into their bank accounts.
	We have also reduced the number of targeted grants and bursaries for students from 14 to just six.

Student Finance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of collecting university tuition fees from students in the London Borough of Havering in the latest year for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: Higher education institutions themselves, not local authorities, bear the cost of collecting student contributions to tuition fees. We do not have centrally-held data on the cost to institutions, but an element of institutional funding covers the cost of administration in collecting the fee contributions.

Teacher Training

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the subjects which have missed targets for teacher training recruitment, with the extent of undershoot in each case; and if he will make a statement on (a) the consequences for schools and colleges and (b) his strategy for improving the situation.

David Miliband: The table shows the number of places available on, and recruits to, courses of initial teacher training in England since 1999/2000.
	
		
			  1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 
			  Places Recruits Places Recruits Places Recruits Places Recruits 
		
		
			 Primary 12,000 12,096 13,100 13,173 12,500 13,109 14,000 14,451 
			  
			 Secondary 
			 Mathematics 1,680 1,302 1,850 1,290 1,940 1,553 1,940 1,673 
			 English and drama 2,160 2,030 2,160 2,029 2,160 2,224 2,350 2,479 
			 Science 2,390 2,362 2,690 2,413 2,810 2,594 2,850 2,701 
			 Modern Foreign Languages 2,200 1,469 2,050 1,635 2,050 1,705 2,050 1,732 
			 Technology(34) 2,860 1,702 2,000 1,855 2,150 2,160 2,500 2,404 
			 History 790 816 900 913 900 922 950 985 
			 Geography 1,030 872 1,090 899 1,175 1,025 1,100 946 
			 Physical Education 1,040 1,190 1,200 1,205 1,200 1,330 1,200 1,325 
			 Art 940 799 850 851 850 843 850 885 
			 Music 570 518 630 560 705 654 700 596 
			 Religious Education 600 528 665 573 650 588 700 576 
			 Citizenship(35)   200 185 
			 Other 350 283 330 319 450 378 300 174 
			 Secondary Reserve   200  350  100  
			 Total secondary 16,610 13,871 16,615 14,542 17,390 15,976 17,790 16,661 
			 Overall Total 28,610 25,967 29,715 27,715 29,890 29,085 31,790 31,112 
			 Fast Track  109  117 
			 Total (including Fast Track)  29,194  31,229 
		
	
	(34) Technology includes design and technology, business studies and information technology.
	(35) 2001/02 was the first year for recruitment to citizenship, and was included in other subjects along with economics and social studies. In 2002/03 places allocated to citizenship were separated out and shown separately.
	Note:
	The number of Fast Track recruits are shown separately because Fast Track places are not part of the TTA's number of allocated places.
	Source:
	TTA
	The figures do not include 10,887 recruits to employment-based teacher training programmes over this period, including 6,884 training to teach secondary subjects and 1,932 in mathematics and science alone. These programmes were designed to attract career-changers and, in tapping a new source of recruits, have more than bridged any shortfalls in conventional recruitment.
	Recruitment to courses of initial teacher training in England fell for eight years in succession from 1992/93. Since the introduction of teacher training bursaries in September 2000, numbers of new entrants to teacher training have risen year on year. There have been 20 per cent. more new entrants to conventional teacher training courses in the current academic year than in 1999/2000. Figures published by the Graduate Teacher Training Registry on 7 May showed that there have been 38,118 applications for Postgraduate Certificate in Education courses so far this year, over 5,500 more than at the same point in 2002.
	The increase in the numbers of entrants to teacher training that the Government's policies has secured has been accompanied by rising numbers of qualified teachers working in schools. National statistics published by my Department on 29 April show that these now stand at their highest level for 19 years.

Teaching Vacancies

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant teacher posts there were in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) special schools and (d) all schools, as a percentage of the total number of teachers, in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	The table shows the number of teacher vacancies as a percentage of teachers in service in maintained nursery/primary, secondary, special schools and all maintained schools by local education authority in January of each year since 1997.
	The most recent data available at local authority level is for January 2002. Recently published provisional vacancy information at national level shows that vacancies in maintained schools decreased from 4,540 in 2002 to 3,400 in 2003. The vacancy rate reduced from 1.2 per cent. in 2002 to 0.9 per cent. in 2003.
	Vacancies are recorded for posts which have been advertised for full-time appointments of at least one term's duration, that exist on the 618G survey date of the third Thursday in January. These are posts, which the local education authority/school intends to fill, including those for which they have unsuccessfully attempted to make an appointment, or for which an appointment has been made, but the appointee has not taken up the post. A post which has been filled by a temporary appointment of less than one term, pending the finding of a more permanent appointee, is regarded as a vacancy. A post would not be recorded as a vacancy if someone appointed to that post on a full-time contract of one term or more has filled the post.
	Vacancy rates are the number of vacancies as a percentage of full-time regular teachers (or those on secondment) in service.

Teaching Vacancies

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant (a) head teacher posts, (b) deputy head teacher and (c) teacher posts there were in (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools and (iii) special schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	The table shows deputy head teacher, head teacher and classroom teacher vacancies in maintained nursery/primary, secondary and special schools by local education authority in January of each year since 1997.
	The most recent data available at local authority level are for January 2002. Recently published provisional vacancy information at national level shows that vacancies in maintained schools decreased from 4,540 in 2002 to 3,400 in 2003. The vacancy rate reduced from 1.2 per cent. in 2002 to 0.9 per cent. in 2003.
	Vacancies are recorded for posts which have been advertised for full-time appointments of at least one term's duration, that exist on the 618G survey date of the third Thursday in January. These are posts, which the local education authority/school intends to fill, including those for which they have unsuccessfully attempted to make an appointment, or for which an appointment has been made but the appointee has not taken up the post. A post which has been filled by a temporary appointment of less that one term, pending the finding of a more permanent appointee, is regarded as a vacancy. A post would not be recorded as a vacancy if someone appointed to that post on a full-time contract of one term or more has filled the post.

Teaching Vacancies

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant deputy head teacher posts there were in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) special schools and (d) all schools as a percentage of the total number of deputy head teachers, in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	The table shows the number of deputy head teacher vacancies as a percentage of teachers in service in maintained nursery/primary, secondary and all maintained schools by local education authority in January of each year since 1997. Rates have not been provided for special schools because of the very small numbers involved (there were 30 deputy head vacancies in England in 2002).
	The most recent data available at local authority level is for January 2002. Recently published provisional vacancy information at national level shows that vacancies in maintained schools decreased from 4,540 in 2002 to 3,400 in 2003. The vacancy rate reduced from 1.2 per cent. in 2002 to 0.9 per cent. in 2003.
	Vacancies are recorded for posts which have been advertised for full-time appointments of at least one term's duration, that exist on the 618G survey date of the third Thursday in January. These are posts which the local education authority/school intends to fill, including those for which they have unsuccessfully attempted to make an appointment, or for which an appointment has been made but the appointee has not taken up the post. A post which has been filled by a temporary appointment of less than one term, pending the finding of a more permanent appointee, is regarded as a vacancy. A post would not be recorded as a vacancy if someone appointed to that post on a full-time contract of one term or more has filled the post.
	Vacancy rates are the number of vacancies as a percentage of full-time regular teachers (or those on secondment) in service.

Teaching Vacancies

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacancies there are in secondary schools for (a) physics, (b) chemistry, (c) mathematics and (d) IT teachers at (i) GCSE and (ii) A Level; and what recent steps he has taken to attract people into teaching science and technology-related subjects.

David Miliband: The information is not available in the form requested.
	National statistics published by my Department on 29 April 2003 included provisional numbers of full-time teacher vacancies by secondary subject at January 2003. These showed that there were 40 vacancies for teachers of physics; 40 for teachers of chemistry; 320 for teachers of mathematics; and 110 for teachers of information technology. The total number of vacancies for classroom teachers in maintained secondary schools in England fell by 410 between January 2002 and January 2003.
	In September 2000, the Government introduced 6,000 bursaries for postgraduate trainee teachers and 4,000 Golden Hellos for those going on to teach the priority subjects of mathematics, science, modern languages, technology and English. From September 2002, these incentives are being reinforced by a scheme to repay, over time, the student loans of new teachers of the priority subjects. These incentives have helped to ensure that recruitment to initial teacher training is higher than its 1999/2000 level by 29 per cent. in mathematics; 14 per cent. in science; and 41 per cent. in technology. Figures published by the Graduate Teacher Training Registry on 7 May 2003 show that applications for postgraduate teacher training courses for 2003/04 are currently running above last year's level by 36 per cent. in mathematics; by 14 per cent. in science; and by 44 per cent. in technology.

Teachers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching staff are still in employment after the age of 60 in each local authority; and what percentage of the total teaching work force this accounts for.

David Miliband: holding answer 21 May 2003
	A table showing showing full and part-time regular qualified teachers aged 60 or over who were in service in the maintained schools sector and the percentage of the total workforce they represent as at March 2001 has been placed in the Library.

Teachers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average rate of increase paid to classroom teachers was for each of the last 10 years.

David Miliband: holding answer 21 May 2003
	The following table shows the average salary and the percentage increase in the average salary for full-time regular classroom teachers in the maintained schools sector in England and Wales as at 31 March in each of the years shown. The average salary includes all allowances paid.
	
		
		
			  Average salary Percentage increase(36) 
		
		
			 1990 14,800  
			 1991 16,400 10.7 
			 1992 18,400 12.0 
			 1993 19,800 7.9 
			 1994 20,100 1.3 
			 1995 20,600 2.4 
			 1996 21,100 2.3 
			 1997 21,700 3.3 
			 1998 22,300 2.7 
			 1999 23,200 3.8 
			 2000 24,000 3.5 
			 2001(37),(38) 25,500 6.5 
		
	
	(36) Based on unrounded figures.
	(37) Data for 2001 are provisional and are the latest available.
	(38) The 2001 average salary figures include threshold pay increases that were made before March 2001. However, they do not include threshold pay increases relating to people who passed the threshold in September 2000 and had not received their payment by March 2001. This money was backdated after March 2001 and therefore the average salary for March 2001 will be understated.
	Source:
	Database of teacher records

Teachers

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many peripatetic music teachers there are per 1,000 school pupils.

David Miliband: This information is not collected centrally.

Teachers

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the level of support a teacher's pension provides for retirement; and what plans he has to increase teachers' pensions levels of support.

David Miliband: The Teachers' Pension Scheme is a final salary scheme that provides retirement benefits based on 1 /80 of salary for each year of pensionable service. The normal pension age is currently 60. Pensions in payment are up-rated each year in line with movements in the Retail Prices index. In addition a tax free lump sum equivalent to three years pension is payable on retirement. Arrangements also exist for the early payment of benefits on the grounds of permanent ill health. Teachers pay a contribution of 6 per cent. of salary and their employers contribute a further 13.5 per cent. of salary towards the cost of the Teachers' Pension Scheme.
	The provisions of the Teachers' Pension Scheme are currently under review in the light of the proposals contained in the Pensions Green Paper Security, Simplicity and Choice and the Inland Revenue consultation on simplifying the taxation of pensions. Any changes to the scheme will be subject to full consultation with representatives of teacher and employer associations and other interested parties.

Teachers' Pay

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills by how much average teacher salaries in Worcestershire have increased since 1999; and if he will reconsider the application of the area cost adjustment to the county's education settlement.

David Miliband: The following table shows the average salary and the percentage increase in the average salary for full-time regular teachers in the maintained schools sector in Worcestershire as at 31 March in each of the years shown in. The average salary includes all allowances paid.
	
		
			  Worcestershire () Percentage increase(39) 
		
		
			 1999 24,100  
			 2000 25,100 4.2 
			 2001(40),(41) 27,000 7.5 
		
	
	(39) Based on unrounded figures.
	(40) Data for 2001 are provisional and are the latest available.
	(41) The 2001 average salary figures include threshold pay increases that were made before March 2001. However, they do not include threshold pay increases relating to people who passed the threshold in September 2000 and had not received their payment by March 2001. This money was backdated after March 2001 and therefore the average salary for March 2001 will be understated.
	Source:
	Database of teacher records
	The area cost adjustment reflects the actual salary costs recorded in the New Earnings Survey by both public and private sector employers in each area, weighted for the different types of employee. Teachers' salaries are therefore already included.

Truancy

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many parenting orders have been issued as a result of truanting children in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority;
	(2)  how many parents have been jailed for refusing to deal with their truanting children in the last 12 months.

Ivan Lewis: Information about parenting orders for truancy is collected nationally and not broken down by local education authority. Data are published every six months. 266 parenting orders were issued between July 2001 and June 2002 and 101 between July 2002 and December 2002.
	Information about the number of parents imprisoned following a prosecution for truancy is not collected centrally.

UKEU Project

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students are signed up to courses developed via the UKEU structure.

Margaret Hodge: Currently UK eUniversities Worldwide (UKeU) are running two pilot courses in advance of a full launch this autumn. The number of students enrolled is commercially sensitive, but so far the students are from twenty-four different countries.

UKEU Project

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what UK higher education funding schemes sponsored by his Department UKEU are able to apply for.

Margaret Hodge: As UK eUniversities Worldwide (UKeU) is not a designated higher education institution, it is not eligible to be funded in the normal way to provide education and research via the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). However, it does receive a grant from HEFCE for the provision of services connected with higher education.

UKEU Project

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many UK higher education institutions have signed contracts to produce courses for UKEU.

Margaret Hodge: Following a call for proposals in April 2002, UK eUniversities Worldwide (UKeU) received sixty-nine submissions from UK higher education institutions. To date, contracts have been signed with thirteen institutions for a total of fourteen programmes, with some institutions working in consortia, and some offering more than one programme. Courses are being developed in conjunction with a further thirteen institutions, with contract negotiations at an advanced stage. It is expected that ten to twelve new programmes will be commissioned each year.

Universities (Companies)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many companies have been established from (a) Liverpool University, (b) John Moores University, (c) Liverpool Hope and (d) Edge Hill University college in each year since 1997; what percentage of those companies were established by women; and how many survived (i) one year, (ii) two years and (iii) more than two years.

Margaret Hodge: This information is not collected centrally in this form. However, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has published aggregate information on the number of companies set up by higher education institutions. The results of the two Higher Education Business Interaction Surveys, covering the period 19992000 and 200001 can be accessed at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2001/01 68.htm and http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2003/03 11.htm

University Teachers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) male and (b) female university teachers are aged (i) 20 to 25, (ii) 25 to 30, (iii) 31 to 35, (iv) 36 to 40, (v) 41 to 44, (vi) 45 to 49, (vii) 50 to 54, (viii) 55 to 59, (ix) 60 to 65, (x) 66 to 70 and (xi) 71 years and over.

Margaret Hodge: The latest available data are given in the following table.
	
		Academic Staff in UK Higher Education Institutions 200102
		
			 Age Female Male Total 
		
		
			  
			  
			 20:24 2,040 1,820 3,860 
			 25:30 9,580 11,550 21,130 
			 31:35 9,180 13,450 22,630 
			 36:40 8,660 13,220 21,880 
			 41:44 6,270 9,200 15,470 
			 45:49 7,340 1 1 ,040 18,380 
			 50:54 6,320 12,770 19,090 
			 55:59 3,390 9,920 13,310 
			 60:65 1,050 5,560 6,610 
			 66:70 70 490 560 
			 71(42) 60 150 210 
			 Total 53,950 89,180 143,130 
		
	
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency's Staff Record. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10 pence constituent parts may not sum to totals.

Ursuline School

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Crosby concerning Ursuline School, Blundellsands, Liverpool.

David Miliband: I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 26 May 2003.

Wivelsfield School

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent communications he has received from East Sussex county council regarding the need for a replacement school at Wivelsfield; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Department has not received any formal communication from East Sussex local education authority regarding Wivelsfield Primary School. Most capital funding for schools is now allocated by formula, allowing local education authorities greater opportunity to plan and invest their resources, in accordance with the priorities identified through their Asset Management planning process.

Work Placements

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to (a) introduce central co-ordination for work placements and (b) link work placements more closely to NVQ and GNVQ qualifications.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 8 April 2003
	Overall responsibility for work placement arrangements rests with the local education authority or school governing body on its behalf. The Department provides 25 million a year, via the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), for school/business links activities. Around 10 million goes towards the costs of the work experience programme. Central guidance and advice is provided by the Department and LSC to help local partners provide high quality placements. This guidance emphasises the importance of ensuring placements are properly integrated within pupils' programmes of study, but we recognise the need for improvements in practice. As I said in my answer to the hon. Member on 8 April, we are taking steps to promote improvements in the context of our wider plans for work related learning.
	For learners to gain a full NVQ they must complete a significant amount of learning in the workplace. Placements are usually arranged by the learning provider. At the start of the placement a training plan is agreed which sets out the learning required to gain specific units of the NVQ.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the opium poppy fields in Afghanistan have been destroyed; and what area this covers.

Mike O'Brien: In April 2002 President Karzai announced an eradication programme to tackle the 2002 opium poppy crop. The Afghan authorities tell us that they succeeded in destroying 17,300 hectares of opium poppies. In light of the UN estimate that 74,000 hectares were cultivated in 2002 this amounted to approximately 23 per cent. of the total crop.
	The Afghan Government are also carrying out eradication operations to combat the 2003 opium poppy crop. It has not yet produced figures for how much of this year's harvest it has managed to destroy. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is conducting a survey into the 2003 Afghan opium poppy crop. The results should be published in the autumn.

Afghanistan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much opium has been (a) impounded and (b) destroyed by the Afghan Transitional Administration in each month since January 2002.

Mike O'Brien: The Afghan Interim and Transitional Administrations have not produced figures for the amount of illicit drugs seized since coming into office. Press reports of seizures throughout Afghanistan since the middle of 2002 have not been verified either by the central authorities or international organisations. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime compiles annual seizure statistics globally but has no reliable figures for Afghanistan.

Mrs. Esther Anwar

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to process the visa application from Mrs.Esther Anwar, the wife of a constituent; and if he will make a statement on his Department's handling of this case.

Bill Rammell: I am withholding the information requested under exemption 5 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	It is not our practice to disclose details of individual entry clearance cases in a public forum. However, I will write to the hon. Member with regard to this matter.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place between the Government and the England and Wales Cricket Board on the humanitarian situation and human rights abuses in Zimbabwe in relation to the tour of the Zimbabwean cricket team.

Bill Rammell: Government officials last discussed the cricket world cup with the England Cricket Board (ECB) on 23 January. They discussed the situation in Zimbabwe, including humanitarian and human rights issues.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell) made clear in her letter of 24 March to Tim Lamb of the ECB that the Government has no objection to the Zimbabwe Cricket team and its management and supporters coming to this country, provided individuals subject to the EU travel ban are not part of that touring party.
	Whilst we did not support the England team going to Zimbabwe during the World Cup because of the propaganda opportunities that could have afforded the Mugabe regime, we do not wish to stand in the way of Zimbabwean teams competing here. Indeed that has been a stance backed and endorsed by Henry Olonga, one of the Zimbabwe cricketers who protested against Mugabe's regime during the world cup.

Zimbabwe

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Zimbabwe over the expulsion from Zimbabwe of Mr. Andrew Meldrum.

Bill Rammell: As Mr. Meldrum is an American citizen, the Government do not have formal grounds for making consular representations on his behalf. However, the High Commissioner in Harare raised Mr. Meldrum's case with the acting Secretary (most senior official) at Zimbabwe's Ministry of Foreign Affairs ahead of Andrew Meldrum's deportation on 16 May 2003. He urged compliance with court orders barring deportation, and stressed that denying US consular officials access to Mr. Meldrum was unacceptable. High Commission staff have also kept in close touch with Mr. Meldrum in recent weeks, as well as attending the High Court hearings into his case and assisting Guardian staff when they visited Harare earlier this month.

Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total expenditure on advertising by the Department was in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203; and what the level of planned expenditure is for (i) 200304 and (ii) 200405.

Bill Rammell: In the year 200203 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's separately identifiable expenditure on advertising totalled 602,670. The bulk of this comprised of media spend for consular publicity campaigns, which are aimed at encouraging UK travellers to be better prepared before going overseas, and advertising for recruitment purposes.
	In the year 200304 planned separately identifiable expenditure on advertising totals 317,000.
	Plans for expenditure on advertising in 200405 have yet to be made.
	There was in 200203, and is likely to be in 200304, additional expenditure in the UK and overseas that, under FCO accounting procedures, cannot be separately identified as advertising; to attempt to disaggregate this would incur disproportionate costs.
	All figures provided represent the expenditure of the FCO and not of Wilton Park, our only agency, or our 10 non-departmental public bodies; these details are not held centrally and cannot therefore be compiled without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The Government are committed to using only cost effective channels to deliver the publicity necessary to support policy implementation. Paid advertising is only resorted to after careful consideration of the cost-benefits.

Botswana

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the forced evacuation of Gana and Trivi bushmen from their land because of diamond mining in Botswana; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Government of Botswana have assured us that diamond mining is not in any way linked to their decision to stop essential services to those living in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the EU on British Overseas Territories.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with the EU on British Overseas Territories. There are regular discussions between UK and EU officials on areas of particular interest to our Overseas Territories.

Convention on the Future of Europe

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom plans to repatriate powers in the new constitution for the EU.

Denis MacShane: I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave him on 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 157W.

Convention on the Future of Europe

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his interpretation is of the statement that the Member States shall support the Union's external and security policy actively and unreservedly in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity, in the EU treaties and draft constitution.

Denis MacShane: Article 11.2 of the existing Treaty on European Union commits Member States to
	support the Union's external and security policy actively and unreservedly in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity. This means that where Member States have agreed a policy on a particular external or security issue, Member States will support that policy wholeheartedly and loyally.

Convention on the Future of Europe

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what constitutes an action contrary to the interests of the Union, in the CFSP Article 3 of the draft EU constitution.

Denis MacShane: Draft Article 3 of Part III of the draft EU Constitution reproduces language in the existing Treaty on European Union (TEU). Article 11.2 TEU states that
	the member states shall work together to enhance and develop their mutual political solidarity. They shall refrain from any action which is contrary to the interests of the Union or likely to impair its effectiveness as a cohesive force in international relations. This means that where Member States have made a commitment to respect an agreed EU position on a particular issue, they will not act to undermine that agreed position.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have a separate Ministerial Correspondence Unit. There are however Correspondence Clerks in each of the Ministerial offices as follows:
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's office: 3.
	My hon. Friend the Minister for Europe's office (Mr. MacShane): 2.
	My right hon. and Noble Friend the Minister of State's office (Baroness Symons): 1.
	My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State's office (Mr O'Brien): 2.
	My office, 2 (One of whom wrorks specifically on correspondence relating to UK Visas issues).
	The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State's office (Baroness Amos): 1.5.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answer of 3 February 2003, Official Report, column 7W, on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, whether he has received the further information requested from the UN Expert Panel.

Bill Rammell: The UK Government have not received any of the requested information from the UN Expert Panel on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
	Since 3 February, the UK Government have made several further requests to the Panel for information. On 11 March the UK's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN asked for specific information relating UK linked companies and individuals to the exploitation of natural resources in the DRC. The UK's National Contact Point for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has asked the Panel on several occasions, including at the OECD's conference in Paris on 11 April, for details of communications with UK linked companies alleged to have breached OECD guidelines. Officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote to the Chair of the Panel on 29 May asking for evidence supporting the allegations against UK linked companies and individuals.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision will be made on whether to provide British troops for a United Nations military force tasked with restoring peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bill Rammell: We can confirm that the UN has asked the UK and others to participate in an Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) to stabilise the situation in Bunia (Ituri region of north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo). We think it important to contribute to this force, to support the UN and the DRC peace process. The UK will therefore participate in the IEMF. We are in consultation with those involved about the most appropriate and effective contribution the UK can make.

Drugs/Piracy

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with governments in the Far East regarding (a) drug crime and (b) piracy; and if he will make a statement on the threat of crime in the region.

Mike O'Brien: There have been no recent ministerial discussions on drug crime or piracy with Far Eastern Governments.
	The Government are concerned at the level of piracy reported from the region and have participated in initiatives to raise the profile of this problem. In 2002, the UK and Philippine Governments took the lead in organising an EU-ASEAN Experts meeting on piracy and crimes at sea. Last year, the FCO sponsored delegations from the region to attend an international seminar on maritime violence. The UK continues to press the European Commission and EU Partners to follow up initiatives against this form of crime.
	We monitor the regional threat to UK interests from other forms of organised crime. In response, we have concluded an agreement with the Chinese Government to post a Liaison Officer from the National Crime Squad to our embassy in Beijing. In addition, the remit of the regional Drugs Liaison Officer based in Hong Kong is being widened. He will in future cover serious crimes such as money laundering, the criminal facilitation of illegal immigration, the export of precursor chemicals for the production of class A drugs, the activities of paedophiles and the production and smuggling of counterfeit cigarettes.

East Africa

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Ethio-Eritrea Border Commission about the drawing of the border near Badme; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: None. The Boundary Commission is an independent judicial body. It made its decision on the position of the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea in April 2002. We have called on both Ethiopia and Eritrea to implement fully the Algiers Peace Agreements and to accept the Boundary Commission's decisions as final and binding.

Efficiency Savings

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the target is for efficiency savings in 200304 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

Bill Rammell: Efficiency targets for 200304 were set in Spending Review 2000. For 200304, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has an efficiency target of 3 per cent. which was calculated to be 29.53 million in money terms, based on the funding baseline before that Spending Review.

Eritrea

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Eritrea regarding the release of political prisoners held since September 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We remain concerned at the human rights situation in Eritrea. Our Ambassador in Asmara raises the issue of detainees regularly with the government of Eritrea, both bilaterally and with EU Partners. My noble Friend the Baroness Amos, then Minister for Africa, met the Eritrean Ambassador on 19 March and highlighted these concerns. Officials also discussed the issue of detainees with the new Eritrean Ambassador on 21 May. We will continue to press the Eritrean government on this issue.

EU Initiatives

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money from (a) mainstream EU programmes and (b) special EU initiatives has been allocated to (i) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, (ii) Teesside and (iii) the Government Office of the North East region in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	Three sets of data are shown in the table that provide the information requested. The data has been assembled from a number of programme management databases and give an accurate as possible assessment of the funding provided to Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, Teesside and Government Office of the North East.
	
		
			 Area/Year Mainstream Special Total  
		
		
			  Middlesbrough and SE Cleveland 
			 1997 36,373 11,051  
			 1998 61,918   
			 1999 82,375   
			 2000
			 2001
			 2002 61,810   
			 2003 116,812   
			 Total 359,288 11,051 370,339 
			  Teesside 
			 1997 2,276,778 111,854  
			 1998 7,651,128 1,286,108  
			 1999 40,390,876 2,915,741  
			 2000 1,660,482 0  
			 2001 1,423,307 218,061  
			 2002 16,635,030 42,300  
			 2003 9,353,423   
			 Total 79,391,024 4,574,064 83,965,088 
			  Government Office NE 
			 1997 14,767,470 4,029,911  
			 1998 37,587,355 5,303,382  
			 1999 197,687,891 14,779,607  
			 2000 19,186,198 1,976,164  
			 2001 14,692,127 772,676  
			 2002 76,824,399 773,368  
			 2003 37,520,817 7,017,064  
			 Total 398,266,257 34,652,172 432,918,429

European Union

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of the design, production, printing and distribution to each school in the United Kingdom of the poster, Did You Know the EU is Expanding.

Denis MacShane: The total cost for the complete production process and distribution of the poster 'Did you know the EU is Expanding'. to all UK secondary schools was 3,525.24, including VAT. This is equivalent to 58p per poster, produced and delivered.

Export Licences

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answer of 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 161W, on export licences, from which United States agencies the British Embassy sought advice on a possible sale of British aircraft to Iran; what reply was received; and to whom advice was passed outside his Department.

Jack Straw: The British Embassy in Washington did not seek advice from any United States agencies on a possible sale of British aircraft to Iran.

Export Licences

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answer of 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 161W, on export licences, which Minister from his Department contacted the UK Embassy in Washington in July 2002 for advice on the US sanctions on Iran regarding the sale of aircraft; and what advice was sought.

Jack Straw: No FCO Minister contacted the British Embassy in Washington in July 2002 for advice on US Sanctions on Iran regarding the sale of aircraft.

Iraq

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the European Commission regarding aid to Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: We have discussed Iraq regularly with EU colleagues, including representatives of the Commission at the General Affairs and External Relations Council, and most recently at the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers in Rhodes on 23 May 2003. These discussions covered the whole range of issues relating to Iraq, including provision of aid.

Iraq

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 29 April 2003, Official Report, column 327W, whether an Iraqi charg d'affaires remains accredited to the European Union; and when the United Kingdom requested the status of Iraqi diplomatic personnel to the European Union be reviewed.

Mike O'Brien: We are now, as part of a wider exercise, reviewing the position of all Iraqi diplomats that may remain accredited to International organisations. In the light of UNSCR 1483 on post conflict Iraq, EU officials in Brussels are confirming the precise status of the accreditation of the Iraqi charg d'affaires.

Iraq

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action will be taken to ensure that those responsible for human rights abuses in Iraq are brought to justice.

Mike O'Brien: British Government policy is that war criminals and those responsible for crimes against humanity should be brought to justice. Where possible, British forces have been tasked with securing and protecting evidence of such crimes so they may hand it over to the relevant prosecuting authority at the appropriate time.
	The Iraqi people should be able to bring to justice those who have committed crimes against them, with suitable international help. A coalition team, including British forensic experts with the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA), is assessing the situation on the ground and will make recommendations for future action.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with other sponsors of the Draft Resolution on post-conflict Iraq as put before the United Nations Security Council on 9 May 2003, on including a renewed mandate to UNMOVIC to verify weapons of mass destruction and their manufacturing infrastructure in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: Security Council Resolution 1438, adopted on 22 May, reiterates the importance of disarming Iraq of all prohibited weapons programmes and of eventual confirmation of disarmament. It makes clear that the occupying powers have a responsibility in this regard and invites them to keep the Security Council informed of progress.
	We believe that international verification has an important role to play in confirming that the process has been completed. In this context, we agreed with the co-sponsors of the resolution and the other members of the Security Council that the resolution should refer to the need to revisit the mandates of UNMOVIC and IAEA under previous Security Council resolutions.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for the use of surplus funds within the proposed Iraqi assistance fund for disarmament of Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: The UK, US and Spain have tabled a draft resolution before the United Nations Security Council, a key element of which is the proposed establishment of a Development Fund for Iraq (previously known as the Iraq Assistance Fund). The aim of the fund is to meet costs associated with meeting the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, reconstruction and the establishment of a representative Government in Iraq. An integral part of this process will be the continuation of the disarmament of Iraq, and we propose that this is one of the tasks which the Development Fund for Iraq would cover.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the proposed UN special co-ordinator will co-ordinate proposals for the reconstruction of Iraq (a) validated by the UN and (b) imposed by the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance.

Bill Rammell: The UN Special Representative, as proposed in the draft Resolution tabled by the UK, US and Spain, would be responsible for coordinating UN and international agencies' work in humanitarian assistance and reconstruction activities in Iraq. The Representative would be specifically tasked with facilitating the reconstruction of key infrastructure and promoting economic reconstruction.
	The draft Resolution would require the Special Representative to coordinate with the Occupying Powers, including the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, in carrying out this mandate.
	Negotiations on the draft Resolution continue in the Security Council.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 497W, how many ICRC outlets there in (a) Baghdad and (b) Iraq for people to send safe and well messages; and whether the UK Government is assisting the ICRC in the provision and advertisement of its message service.

Bill Rammell: The ICRC presently has Restoring Family Links (RFL) facilities in five centres in Iraq: Baghdad, Erbil, Dohuk, Sulymaniah and Basra. In addition, mobile tracing units have been set up at seven other sites: Mosul, Kirkuk, Nasiriyah, Amarah, Najaf, Kerbala and Samawa. More mobile units will be deployed following a forthcoming increase in capacity.
	British forces are assisting the ICRC in its provision of RFL services by providing ICRC delegates with relevant field security information, thus allowing them to gain access to potential beneficiaries.
	Members of the public contacting the Consular Directorate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the question of safe and well messages from relatives in Iraq are routinely referred to the ICRC's RFL service.

Iraq

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the early return by the United Nations Weapons Inspectors to Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: We recognise the need for validation of any WMD discoveries by the Coalition. UNMOVIC and the IAEA would be an option to provide such validation.
	UN Security Council Resolution 1483, adopted unopposed, explicitly refers to the need for the UN Security Council to revisit the inspectors' mandates.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2003, Official Report, column 287W, on Iraq, what the evidential basis was for his statement that organised groups had access to the Baghdad museum and had planned the looting well in advance of military attacks.

Mike O'Brien: I am told that the Research Director at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad has indicated to British officials that it appears that organised groups may have planned the looting inadvance. I am also told that the nature of missing items also suggests that key artefacts were specifically targeted.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the US administration on the restoration of the US dollar as Iraq's oil currency.

Denis MacShane: None.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken to ensure the deployment of UN human rights monitors in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: The fall of Saddam Hussein's regime brought to an end a long period of violations of the Iraqi people's human rights. As requested in UN Security Council Resolution 1483, put forward by the UK, US and Spain and adopted on 22 May, the UN Secretary-General has appointed a Special Representative whose responsibilities include the promotion of human rights. The UN, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is examining how to take this forward. This might include the deployment of UN human rights monitors. We aim to work closely with the Special Representative. In addition, working to support the people of Iraq in moving toward the establishment of representative government based on the rule of law and affording equal rights and justice to all Iraqi citizens is the best means to ensure that their human rights are protected.

Iraq

Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent UK forces and aid workers have restored (a) electrical power and (b) water resources to homes in Basra; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Power, water and sewerage systems in Basra were in a poor state before the recent conflict. Royal Engineers are playing a vital role in repairing and restoring Iraqi power supplies. 80 per cent. of Basra now has power and access to running water, which is substantially better than before the conflict. UK forces and NGOs are working to replenish water treatment chemicals and 75 per cent. of the city is covered by a sewerage system.
	Forces have been working to secure conditions for UN agencies and NGOs to take over responsibility for humanitarian relief. UNICEF is planning to fund the repair of the water pipeline between Umm Qasr and Basra. Coalition engineers are working with Powergen to re-establish the national grid.

Montserrat

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Montserrat; and what developments have taken place since the volcanic activity in 1997.

Denis MacShane: Since the volcanic crisis of 199597, one of the main priorities for Montserrat has been a return to self-sufficiency. Substantial redevelopment of the habitable part of Montserrat has been achieved, mainly through support (totalling 180 million to date) provided by the Department for International Development (DFID). To support Montserrat's return to self-sufficiency, a further 45.6 million in DFID support has been earmarked for the period 200203 to 200506.
	Another major concern is the continuing safety of the people on the island. The volcano is still active and constantly monitored. The dome of the volcano continues to grow and is the largest it has ever been and all the evidence indicates that the level of hazard is increasing as the dome grows. For public safety, around two-thirds of the southern part of the island remains an exclusion zone. The exclusion zone is reviewed regularly and was extended last October after careful consideration of scientific advice.

Morocco

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers have visited Morocco since May 1997; and if he will make a statement on UK-Morocco relations.

Mike O'Brien: Nine Ministers have visited Morocco in an official capacity since May 1997:
	Derek Fatchett, Minister of State, FCO, May 1998
	Dawn Primarolo, Minister for Customs and Excise, July 1998
	Robin Cook, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, (with His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales) July 1999 (to attend King Hassan II of Morocco's funeral)
	Peter Hain, Minister of State, FCO, Dec 1999
	Richard Caborn, Minister of Trade, May 2000
	Ben Bradshaw, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, FCO, September 2001
	Margaret Beckett and Michael Meacher, Department of the Environment, Oct-Nov2001
	Clare Short, Secretary of State, Department for International Development, September 2002.
	UK Morocco relations are strong as indicated by the meeting of my hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with Mohammed Benaissa, the Moroccan Foreign Minister in London on 20 May 2003. After the meeting they both referred positively to relations between Morocco and the UK.

North Korea

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the risk to international security posed by North Korea; and what progress is being made in re-introducing arms inspectors to the country.

Bill Rammell: We have long had concerns about North Korea's nuclear programmes. These concerns have been heightened by recent actions and statements by the North Korean government.
	We, and our allies, will continue to take every opportunity to urge North Korea to allow the return of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, and to reinstate the freeze on nuclear activities.

Rwanda

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Rwanda following its decision to endorse the banning of the opposition Mouvement Democratique Republicain party.

Bill Rammell: We will continue to urge the Government of Rwanda to set out publicly how they plan to open up political space and ensure inclusive elections later this year; and how they can reassure the international community of their commitment to due process and transparency in dealing with the dissolution of the Mouvement Democratique Republicain and actions against individuals.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to support UK citizens of Chinese origin and their relatives overseas following concern over the SARS issue; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 7 May 2003
	I have been asked to reply.
	The Department of Health has issued updated information and advice to all travellers from the United Kingdom about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on a regular basis; the last of which was issued on 21 May. We have also secured agreement with some of the major airlines to distribute leaflets in English, Mandarin and Cantonese for those leaving SARS affected areas.
	We will shortly be issuing a public leaflet about SARS, which will be made available in Cantonese and Mandarin.

Strategic Priorities Review

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the work commissioned on long-term strategic priorities for British foreign policy; and if he will place a copy of the report in the library.

Jack Straw: Work on long term priorities for British Foreign policy is being taken forward by the FCO in consultation with other Government Departments. I plan to make the results public in the Autumn.

Trade Promotion

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the Department's budget was spent in the latest 12 months for which figures are available on the promotion overseas of trade with the UK; and if he will break down spending in each (a) embassy and (b) high commission.

Bill Rammell: The latest figures for funding for Trade Partners UK, the trade development arm of British Trade International, is as follows.
	
		 millions
		
			  200102 Outturn  
		
		
			 Programme 60 
			  
			 Administration Costs 
			 DTI 28 
			 FCO 123 
			  
			 Capital 
			 DTI 0 
			 FCO 1 
		
	
	The information is not available broken down by Embassy and High Commission, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Trade Promotion

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's staff at each (a) embassy and (b) high commission have responsibilities which are primarily the promotion of trade with the UK.

Bill Rammell: The number of staff (expressed in full time equivalents) whose responsibilities are the achievement of BTI objectives in overseas markets is as follows:
	
		
			 Country Total (full time equivalent)  
		
		
			 Africa  
			 Angola 4 
			 Botswana 1 
			 Cameroon 1 
			 Cote D'Ivore 2 
			 Ethiopia 2 
			 Ghana 6 
			 Kenya 6 
			 Madagascar 1 
			 Malawi 1 
			 Mali 1 
			 Mauritius 2 
			 Mozambique 3 
			 Namibia 1 
			 Nigeria 19 
			 Rwanda 1 
			 Senegal 2 
			 Seychelles 1 
			 Sierra Leone 1 
			 South Africa 32 
			 Tanzania 5 
			 Uganda 3 
			 Zambia 1 
			 Zimbabwe 3 
			   
			 Americas  
			 Antigua 1 
			 Argentina 8 
			 Bahamas 1 
			 Barbados 4 
			 Belize 1 
			 Bolivia 2 
			 Brazil 54 
			 Canada 36 
			 Chile 8 
			 Colombia 7 
			 Costa Rica 3 
			 Cuba 3 
			 Dominican Republic 2 
			 Ecuador 4 
			 El Salvador 2 
			 Guatemala 2 
			 Guyana 2 
			 Honduras 1 
			 Jamaica 4 
			 Mexico 23 
			 Nicaragua 1 
			 Panama 2 
			 Paraguay 3 
			 Peru 7 
			 St. Lucia 1 
			 Trinidad 5 
			 Uruguay 2 
			 USA 145 
			 Venezuela 8 
			   
			 North Asia/Pacific  
			 Australia 33 
			 China 60 
			 Fiji 2 
			 Hong Kong 22 
			 Japan 68 
			 Mongolia 1 
			 New Zealand 10 
			 South Korea 20 
			 Taiwan 21 
			   
			 Europe  
			 Albania 1 
			 Armenia 3 
			 Austria 7 
			 Azerbaijan 4 
			 Belarus 1 
			 Belgium and Luxembourg 17 
			 Bosnia 3 
			 Bulgaria 5 
			 Croatia 4 
			 Cyprus 5 
			 Cz. Republic 12 
			 Denmark 13 
			 Estonia 3 
			 Finland 12 
			 France 50 
			 Georgia 3 
			 Germany 63 
			 Greece 12 
			 Hungary 14 
			 Iceland 3 
			 Ireland 13 
			 Italy 33 
			 Kazakhstan 4 
			 Latvia 4 
			 Lithuania 3 
			 Macedonia 2 
			 Malta 3 
			 Netherlands 11 
			 Norway 16 
			 Poland 20 
			 Portugal 15 
			 Romania 9 
			 Russia 15 
			 Slovakia 4 
			 Slovenia 5 
			 Spain 32 
			 Sweden 19 
			 Switzerland 15 
			 Turkey 19 
			 Turkmenistan 3 
			 Ukraine 4 
			 Uzbekistan 2 
			 Yugoslavia 5 
			   
			 Middle East and North Africa 
			 Algiers 1 
			 Bahrain 5 
			 Egypt 15 
			 Iran 8 
			 Israel 8 
			 Jerusalem 2 
			 Jordan 7 
			 Kuwait 7 
			 Lebanon 4 
			 Libya 7 
			 Morocco 8 
			 Oman 6 
			 Qatar 8 
			 Saudi Arabia 22 
			 Sudan 2 
			 Syria 8 
			 Tunisia 4 
			 UAE 22 
			 Yemen 4 
			   
			 South and South East Asia 
			 Bangladesh 8 
			 Brunei 2 
			 Cambodia 1 
			 India 79 
			 Indonesia 13 
			 Laos 1 
			 Malaysia 21 
			 Nepal 1 
			 Pakistan 15 
			 Papua New Guinea 1 
			 Philippines 11 
			 Singapore 20 
			 Sri Lanka 7 
			 Thailand 15 
			 Vietnam 12 
			 Grand total 1,524 
		
	
	British Trade International's remit covers both trade development and promotion and inward investment, and it is riot possible to separate fully the two strands.
	The information was current at April 2003.
	The data include FCO UK-based staff and local staff recruited in-market. Distribution of staff numbers across the network changes over time to reflect the requirements of UK business.

Trade Promotion

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been in the priorities for promoting trade at UK embassies and high commissions since 1997.

Bill Rammell: Improving business competitiveness through international trade and investment is an important element of the FCO's work, reflected in its Public Service Agreement Objectives. British Trade International was established in 1999 to bring together the trade promotion activities of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Its priorities and activities are reported annually in its Departmental Report, the latest of which was published on 16 May 2003, Cm 5915.

PRIME MINISTER

Convention on the Future of Europe

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what matters were discussed, and what papers were considered, at his meeting with Mr. Giscard d'Estaing on 19 May.

Tony Blair: Our meeting focused on the work of the Convention on the Future of Europe. As mandated, the Convention is due to present its conclusions to the European Council at Thessaloniki, 2021 June.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the US Administration on the restoration of the US dollar as Iraq's oil currency.

Tony Blair: None.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the security situation in Afghanistan and its effect on humanitarian and reconstruction work.

Hilary Benn: The security situation continues to cause concern, and is hampering the operations of NGOs and UN agencies in the south and eastern provinces of Afghanistan. Reconstruction projects are continuing, however, although a lack of security may affect efforts to refurbish roads in some parts of the south and east.
	The deployment of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) is designed to facilitate improved security in the regions and extend the authority of the Afghan Transitional Administration. The US have already deployed three PRTs to Gardez, Bamiyan and Kunduz provinces. The UK has recently announced its intention to lead a PRT in Mazaar-l-Shariff in the north of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which non-governmental organisations have recently left Afghanistan citing security as their reason for evacuation.

Hilary Benn: I am not aware of any non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which have left Afghanistan due to the deteriorating security situation in parts of the south. In southern Afghanistan, particularly following the killing of an international ICRC worker in March 2003, some NGOs temporarily suspended their operations in the more remote areas and withdrew, either back to the regional centre at Kandahar, or to the capital, Kabul. Most of these, such as Mercy Corps International (MCI), Oxfam, Tear Fund, Action Contre La Faim (ACF) and Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), do, however, continue to operate. The major change as result of insecurity has been in their mode of operation, forcing them to concentrate on more secure areas around Kandahar.

Afghanistan

John Battle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which British non governmental organisations are working on reconstruction in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The following non-governmental organisations are registered in the United Kingdom and working on Afghanistan reconstruction:
	CARE;
	CAFODthrough CARITAS member agencies with offices in Afghanistan supporting local NGOs;
	Actionaid;
	Afghanaid;
	Islamic Relief;
	Joint Development Associates Ltd;
	Tearfund;
	Focus;
	Hope Worldwide;
	Ockenden;
	Mercy Corps;
	Muslim Hands;
	Oxfam;
	Aga Khan Foundation; and
	Christian Aid.

Afghanistan

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much money promised by the Government to help rebuild Afghanistan has yet to be donated; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: US $4.5 billion was pledged by donors at the Tokyo conference in January 2002 over a period of between one and five years, depending on the donor. US $1.8 billion was disbursed last year to Afghanistan. A similar amount has been pledged for the current financial year. Donors such as the US, who had only made one-year pledges at the Tokyo conference, used the Afghan Development Forum held in March 2003 to make new pledges. The total pledged now stands at US $5.2 billion.

Agency Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not maintain a central record of agency workers employed in our headquarters offices in London and East Kilbride. We have obtained information directly from the various agencies we use, although not all agencies hold records for all the data requested.
	The information set out in the following table is therefore incomplete, but does provide a reasonable approximation of the numbers and costs.
	
		Agency workers
		
			 Financial year Agency staff numbers in DFID London Agency staff spend in DFID London  Agency staff numbers in DFID East Kilbride Agency staff spend in East Kilbride  Total of agency staff for both locations Total spend on agency staff for both locations  
		
		
			 200102 210 752,780 6 36,957 216 789,737 
			 200203 131 827,166 49 277,642 180 1,104,808

Aid (Overseas Territories)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much aid has been given to Overseas Territories since 1993.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's bilateral assistance to Overseas Territories for each of the UK financial years from 199394 to 200102 is shown in the following table. Figures for 200203 are not yet available but are expected to be published next month. These figures do not include any assistance which may have been allocated over the period under the EU Overseas Countries and Territories Decision.
	
		000
		
			 Country  Total DFID programme 
		
		
			 Anguilla 199394 3,271 
			  199495 2,142 
			  199596 1,226 
			  199697 1,362 
			  199798 2,520 
			  199899 1,977 
			  199900 2,058 
			  200001 2,234 
			  200102 1,847 
			 British Virgin Islands 199394 1,515 
			  199495 308 
			  199596 592 
			  199697 1,085 
			  199798 604 
			  199899 622 
			  199900 517 
			  200001 186 
			  200102 89 
			  
			 Cayman Islands 199394 3 
			  199495 86 
			  199596 21 
			  199697 0 
			  199798 0 
			  199899 23 
			  199900 18 
			  200001 20 
			  200102 3 
			  
			 Montserrat 199394 5,689 
			  199495 5,766 
			  199596 6,554 
			  199697 14,441 
			  199798 37,866 
			  199899 31,096 
			  199900 22,640 
			  200001 20,811 
			  200102 24,417 
			 Pitcairn Islands 199394 108 
			  199495 180 
			  199596 203 
			  199697 160 
			  199798 76 
			  199899 148 
			  199900 99 
			  200001 18 
			  200102 26 
			  
			 St. Helena 199394 9,057 
			  199495 8,161 
			  199596 9,267 
			  199697 7,990 
			  199798 8,765 
			  199899 8,805 
			  199900 9,363 
			  200001 10,116 
			  200102 10,106 
			  
			 Turks and Caicos Islands 199394 10,049 
			  199495 4,387 
			  199596 2,674 
			  199697 3,031 
			  199798 2,569 
			  199899 3,808 
			  199900 4,044 
			  200001 2,848 
			  200102 2,754 
			  
			 Bermuda 199394 24 
			  199495 37 
			  199596 30 
			  199697 57 
			  199798 30 
			  199899 0 
			  199900 13 
			  200001 4 
			  200102 0 
			  
			 Falkland Islands and Deps 199394 12 
			  199495 88 
			  199596 19 
			  199697 4 
			  199798 0 
			  199899 0 
			  199900 0 
			  200001 0 
			  200102 0 
			  
			 Gibraltar 199394 142 
			  199495 179 
			  199596 77 
			  199697 118 
			  199798 54 
			  199899 28 
			  199900 23 
			  200001 27 
			  200102 23

Bilateral Aid

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which countries receive direct budget support from the Department; how much; and how much total bilateral aid each of these countries receives.

Hilary Benn: The amount and forms of total bilateral assistance that DFID has given to individual countries is shown in tables 7.1 to 7.5 in the DFID publication, Statistics on International Development. The 2002 edition contains figures relating to the years 199798 to 200102, the latest for which data are available. A copy can be found in the House of Commons Library, or alternately, on DFID's website at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Pubs/files/SID2002 main.pdf
	In these tables, the column headed 'Programme Aid' is non-project financing that benefits the Central Government budget. In the same set of tables, the column titled 'Total DFID Programme' shows the total bilateral assistance given to a country in that year by DFID. In some cases, budget support is given to a particular sector as part of a sector-wide initiative. These figures are included in the 'Project or Sector Aid' column, but the element supporting sector budgets is not separately recorded.

Botswana

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Botswana regarding the bushmen of the Kalahari desert; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions the Secretary of State has had with the Government of Botswana regarding the bushmen of the Kalahari; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Secretary of State visited Botswana on 12 April 2003 as Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa. During her visit she discussed with the Government of Botswana the issue of the relocation of the bushmen from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Her discussion was the latest in a continuing dialogue between the two Governments about the bushmen and about wider poverty issues in Botswana.

Burma

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much direct aid the Department has given to Burma (a) to help the internally displaced peoples on the eastern border of Burma and (b) for environmental projects in the last year for which figures are available.

Hilary Benn: DFID did not provide funding for programmes specifically focused on internally displaced people in Burma in 200203. However, internally displaced people are likely to be among the beneficiaries of a UNICEF-led immunisation programme in Burma for which DFID provided 567,000 in 200203. In addition, part of DFID's 1.5 million support for work in Burma by the International Committee of the Red Cross in 200203 contributed to meeting water and sanitation needs in areas with internally displaced people. DFID did not provide funds for environmental projects in Burma in 200203.

Burundi

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what representations he has made to the Government of Burundi regarding the priority placed on the supply of anti-retroviral drugs to HIV/AIDS sufferers in that country.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development is supporting the National AIDS Council in Burundi through the International Partnership against AIDS in Africa (IPAA), with a contribution for Burundi of 4.15 million over the three years to March 2005. Burundi has been successful in obtaining significant resources for Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) from the Global Fund (to which DFID has contributed $200 million) and the World bank.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the progress of CDC Capital Partners managed investment funds within the last 12 months.

Hilary Benn: Since the strategic review of CDC in 2002, the organisation has yet to launch any new dedicated managed investment funds.
	CDC currently manages and continues to invest our three existing managed funds, Commonwealth Africa Investment Fund; South Asia Regional Fund; and Nandi Investments. CDC's joint venture, Aureos Capital, has already raised funds from third party investors for a Central American SME fund and is in the process of raising funds for three regional African SME funds.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the privatisation of CDC Capital Partners.

Hilary Benn: CDC Capital Partners, the trading name of CDC Group plc, a company wholly owned by the government, was established in 1999 as a result of the Commonwealth Development Corporation Act. We have no plans to privatise this company. We are however currently in the process of preparing for its re-organisation. The purpose and format of this re-organisation were set out in a Written Statement tabled by the Secretary of State for International Development on 27 November 2002, Official Report, column 37WS. It was also described in evidence given by Ministers, officials and CDC management to the Select Committee on International Development in December 2002.
	Since then, preparations have been proceeding on the lines described and it is hoped to reach agreement with a view to implementing the plans by the end of the year. I plan to table a further Written Statement in due course.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on CDC Capital Partners investment strategy in sub-Saharan Africa; and whether it has changed in the last 12 months.

Hilary Benn: Following a strategic review in 2002, it was concluded that CDC would narrow its focus and concentrate on making investments in defined geographies and sectorsprimarily, Africa and South Asia and the SME and power sectors. It is intended that CDC will raise third party funds for Africa later this year.
	Over the past 12 months, CDC has made some significant new investments within the power, agribusiness and consumer business sectors in Africa. Its joint venture, Aureos Capital, is in the process of raising funds for three regional African SME funds. CDC remains committed to growing sustainable businesses in Africa.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what plans there are to attract private capital investors in CDC Capital Partners.

Hilary Benn: There are no plans to attract private capital investors in CDC Capital Partners as such.
	However, the mobilisation of private capital for the benefit of poorer developing countries is the fundamental objective of the proposed reorganisation of CDC. As part of this re-organisation, it is planned that CDC's investments will be made through specialised funds, dealing with specific sectors or geographical areas. Private sector co-investment into these funds will be actively sought and it is expected that fund raising will start later this year.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the progress of CDC Capital Partners in attracting private sector co-investment.

Hilary Benn: In August 2002, it was announced that, from 2003, CDC would organise its investment activities through specialised funds. This reorganisation is progressing well and it is intended that fund raising, which will include attracting private sector co-investment, will start later this year.
	CDC's joint venture, Aureos Capital, has already raised funds from third party investors for a Central American SME fund and is in the process of raising funds for three regional African SME funds.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list (a) the countries in which CDC Capital Partners has opened offices since July 2002, (b) the location of those offices and (c) the staff assigned to each office.

Hilary Benn: No new offices have been opened since July 2002.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what rate of return has been achieved on each CDC Capital Partners investment by (a) sector and (b) country since 1997.

Hilary Benn: The cost involved in gathering all the data requested would be disproportionate.
	However, CDC's annual overall portfolio performance before costs since 1997 has been as follows.
	
		
			  Per cent. 
		
		
			 1998 -5.3 
			 1999 +7.9 
			 2000 -0.1 
			 2001 -10.3 
			 2002 +6.4

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list the (a) assets, (b) liabilities, (c) equity and retained earnings and (d) net income of CDC Capital Partners in each of the last five quarters.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is as follows:
	
		CDC Capital PartnersBalance Sheet Analysis --  million
		
			  March 2002 June 2002 September 2002 December 2002 March 2003 
		
		
			 Total Assets Under Management 861.8 827.6 806.7 805.1 801.6 
			 Fixed Assets 26.0 25.8 25.6 25.4 25.0 
			 Short Term Deposits and Cash 191.5 219.6 270.3 256.3 258.2 
			 Other Net Current Assets -44.1 -26.2 -33.1 -51.0 -38.0 
			 Amounts Falling Due After More Than One Year -28.6 -29.6 -29.8 -25.4 -25.4 
			 Total Assets Less Total Liabilities 1,006.6 1,017.2 1,039.7 1,010.4 1,021.4 
			 Loans From Government -755.0 -755.0 -755.0 -755.0 -755.0 
			 Net Assets 251.6 262.2 284.7 255.4 266.4 
			 Share Capital 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 
			 Reserves 241.6 252.2 274.7 245.4 256.4 
			 Total Capital and Reserves 251.6 262.2 284.7 255.4 266.4

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list CDC Capital Partners (a) investments and (b) disposals by (i) sector, (ii) size and (iii) country since July 2002.

Hilary Benn: I have placed spreadsheets in the Library, entitled CDC Capital Partners Investments which give the relevant information.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what level of debts has been accrued by CDC Capital Partners in the form of government loans allocated by the Department.

Hilary Benn: CDC Capital Partners took over 755 million in interest-free loans made to the former Commonwealth Development Corporation by DFID. No new loans have been made to CDC Capital Partners since then.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many Commonwealth nationals employed by CDC Capital Partners have been made redundant since July 2002.

Hilary Benn: 16 Commonwealth (including UK) nationals have been made redundant since July 2002. This is mainly due to office closures or the fact that certain CDC-employed Commonwealth nationals have bought out a business from CDC or have stayed with the new owners of a business that CDC has sold.
	Since July 2002, CDC has taken on in employment 31 Commonwealth nationals. CDC's total staff levels have increased by one since July 2002, rising from 303 to 304.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list CDC Capital Partners agricultural (a) investments and (b) disposals (i) by country and (ii) by sector since July 2002.

Hilary Benn: Since July 2002, the following new agricultural/agribusiness investments have been made:
	
		
			 Company Country Sector 
		
		
			 Flamingo Holdings Kenya Integrated horticultural business 
		
	
	During this period, CDC also provided further finance for Sulmac, Big Falls and ACI (all mentioned in the following table). CDC also invested further in Del Oro (Costa Rica), an orange juice production company in Costa Rica.
	The following disposals have been made:
	
		
			 Company Country Sector 
		
		
			 Del Oro Belize Orange juice production 
			 Sulmac Kenya Horticultural business 
			 Lake Harvest Fish Farm Zimbabwe Fish farming 
			 Aquacorporacion International Costa Rica Fish farming 
			 Big Falls Plantation Belize Orange growing

Chad/Cameroon Pipeline

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what (a) the estimated cost and (b) the actual cost of the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project was; and if he will make a statement on the sustainability of the project.

Hilary Benn: The cost of this project is estimated at US $3.7 billion, the majority of which is being provided by the private sector. The project is still under implementation. We therefore do not have figures for the actual cost, nor have we made any projections. The World bank group undertook careful assessment of financial and environmental sustainability issues when the project was first designed and continue to monitor such questions.

Chad/Cameroon Pipeline

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, which accounting standards are (a) applicable and (b) are in place for the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project.

Hilary Benn: DFID is not directly involved in funding or implementing this project. The World Bank and International Finance Corporation who are providing financing expect commercial organisations which receive funds to prepare audited financial reports on the basis of internationally recognised accounting standards.

Chad/Cameroon Pipeline

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what the status is of the design change order for the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project.

Hilary Benn: DFID is not providing direct financial support to this project. We therefore do not have first-hand information on detailed implementation issues such as design change orders. We have raised this issue with IFC staff who inform us that on a large project such as this, one might expect many design change orders and that as long as they do not affect the project's compliance with environmental and social safety guidelines, there should be no need for concern. There is a process in the World bank group for monitoring the project's compliance with the terms of agreements.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

Hilary Benn: Five permanent staff in each year.

Debt Relief

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development from which departmental budget the money provided to ECGD by the Department for debt relief comes.

Hilary Benn: While DFID is implementing the Government's 100 per cent. bilateral debt relief policy, the cost of financing this policy is being met by HM Treasury. At the time of the Chancellor's announcement in December 1999, he made it clear that the money paid to ECGD for the countries qualifying for HIPC debt relief would be additional to the international development budget.

Debt Relief

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list the payments made by the Department to the ECGD for debt relief, and the dates on which they were made; and if he will list the payments made by the Treasury to his Department in order to cover this debt relief, and the dates on which such payments were made.

Hilary Benn: To date, DFID has paid 42,359,392 to ECGD in respect of claims made under the Government's 100 per cent. bilateral debt relief policy. I attach a list of payments, including the dates they fell due, to ECGD. Of this amount, HM Treasury transferred 37,004,492 to DFID in the Spring Supplementary Estimates for 200102 (covering payments in 200001 and 200102) and 200203. DFID also received 6.5 million for 200203 and a further 6.5 million for 200304 in the Spending Review 2002 (SR2000). Any additional costs for the current financial year will be reclaimed in the Spring Supplementary Estimates for 200304.
	
		100 per cent. bilateral debt relief policy: payments to ECGD -- 
		
			 Countries/Date Payments Due Amount paid 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Benin  
			 24 October 2000 28,402.78 
			 24 April 2001 27,238.73 
			 24 October 2001 23,584.45 
			 24 April 2002 19,672.42 
			 24 October 2002 19,780.51 
			   
			 Bolivia  
			 30 June 2000 and 1 July 2000 406,101.20 
			 15 August 2000 2,232.31 
			 31 December 2000 and 1 January 2001 463,529.11 
			 30 June 2001 409,427.62 
			   
			 Cameroon  
			 31 December 2000 232,214.16 
			 30 June 2001 299,238.01 
			 31 December 2001 63,663.06 
			 30 June 2002 54,104.34 
			 31 December 2002 63,879.35 
			   
			 Chad  
			 August 2001 157,796.56 
			   
			 Ethiopia  
			 30 June 2002 25,001.34 
			 30 September 2002 7,784.56 
			 31 March 2003 5,944.70 
			   
			 Ghana  
			 22 January 2003 124,516.62 
			   
			 Guinea  
			 31 December 2001 12,305.85 
			 30 June 2002 6,275.50 
			 31 December 2002 7,765.07 
			   
			 Guyana  
			 23 December 2000 2,458,122.98 
			 23 May 2001 1,227,938.39 
			   
			 Malawi  
			 August 2001 3,648,338.03 
			 February 2003 758.99 
			   
			 Mali  
			 20 November 2000 53,792.10 
			 20 May 2001 50,094.71 
			 20 November 2001 44,478.62 
			 20 May 2002 14,619.07 
			 29 January 2003 18,203.72 
			 08 April 2003 4,051.16 
			   
			 Mauritania  
			 31 December 2000 5,128.92 
			 30 June 2001 4,014.71 
			 31 December 2001 4,520.37 
			 30 June 2002 4,117.83 
			   
			 Mozambique  
			 13 February 2003 6,998,632.39 
			   
			 Niger  
			 30 June 2002 95,042.56 
			 31 December 2002 31,105.97 
			 Senegal  
			 17 December 2000 11,380.38 
			 15,17,30 June 2001 15,803.01 
			 01 June 2001 144,902.70 
			 23 August 2001 17,342.23 
			 15,17,31 December 2001 15,139.39 
			 15,17,30 June 2002 12,793.22 
			   
			 Tanzania  
			 01 June 2001 237,236.29 
			 14 August 2001 879.82 
			 01 December 2001 148,505.12 
			 01 June 2002 97,653.28 
			 01 December 2002 120,565.18 
			 February 2003 18,419,160.39 
			   
			 Uganda  
			 1 April 2000 187,973.06 
			 1 September 2000 176,886.96 
			   
			 Yemen  
			 1 August 2001 94,524.86 
			 September 2001 662.32 
			 1 February 2002 90,503.53 
			 1 August 2002 71,609.74 
			 August 2002 3,092,538.47 
			   
			 Zambia  
			 August 2001 1,718,589.93 
			 November 2002 and February 2003 561,323.53 
			   
			 Total amount paid to ECGD 42,359,392.18 
		
	
	Note:
	Payments are made as near as possible to the dates they are due.

Debt Relief

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development by what amount the Department's budget has changed in the last three years in order to pay the ECGD for debt relief to highly indebted poor countries; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The budget for the Department for International Development has been increased by 43.5 million over the last three financial years (200001 to 200203) to finance the 100 per cent. bilateral debt relief policy. To date, DFID has paid some 42.4 million to ECGD in respect of claims under this policy.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Robert Key: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment the Department has made of the cholera epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; what the Department's response has been to the appeal for funds to deal with the problem; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The first outbreak of the current epidemic dates back to September 2001. According to Medicins sans Frontieres (MSF)/Relief Web reporting in February 2003, since September 2001 there have been 19,000 cholera patients with more than 1,200 deaths. During the last months of 2002 the epidemic spread from Katanga to East Kasai province where MSF teams have treated more than 3,800 patients, of which 209 died. Since January 2003, local health authorities and MSF have seen an increase in cholera patients in Katanga province with some 300 cholera patients a week in the whole of the province. In East Kasai province the epidemic does not show any signs of stabilising with an average of 250 new patients a week. The health care system in the DRC lies largely in ruins. Cholera is becoming a reality in the two provinces.
	In 200203 DFID spent 10.89 million on humanitarian assistance, including emergency health needs. We remain ready to respond to urgent humanitarian requests. We continue to work alongside our international partners to help change the situation through our support to the peace process in DRC. Only in this way will improved public health be made possible on a sustainable basis.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent discussions the Department has had with the Governments of (a) Uganda and (b) Rwanda about the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hilary Benn: DFID regularly discusses the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the governments of Uganda and Rwanda. This covers both establishing the Transitional National Government in Kinshasa and also the political and humanitarian crises in eastern DRC, at the moment, particularly in Ituri. We are encouraging both Governments to play a constructive role and to avoid tensions between themselves being played out in the DRC.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what action the Department is taking to prevent ethnic conflict in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hilary Benn: The French government has agreed to the request from the UN Secretary General to lead an Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) to stabilise the situation in Bunia, in Ituri region. Given the importance of supporting the UN's initiative and the DRC peace process, the UK will be participating in the IEMF. We are in consultation with those involved, including the UN and French Defence Ministry, about the most appropriate and effective contribution we can make.
	DFID has recently provided 1 million through the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs for emergency humanitarian interventions in the DRC including Ituri. We are in regular contact with a number of international NGOs working in Ituri, and we stand ready to respond to their requests for further assistance to address urgent humanitarian needs in the region.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what action the Department is taking to support UN Security Council Resolution 1445 on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hilary Benn: The UK has been working with our African, EU and UN partners to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the DRC. There has been progress towards the formation of a transitional national government (TNG) since agreement on its establishment was reached on 2 April in Sun City (South Africa). Most candidates for the TNG have now been selected, although there is presently a disagreement between the parties on the command structure for the new national Army which needs to be resolved urgently. We will continue to play an active part in the International Committee for Support to the Transition, in the DRC.
	In addition:
	we have committed US$25 million to the US$330 million World Bank Multi-Country Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (MDRP) for the Great Lakes region;
	we are assisting the UN's peacekeeping interventions through support to Radio Okapi, the MONUC linked radio station in the DRC;
	we have agreed to contribute to the proposed Interim Emergency Multinational Force for Ituri;
	we are funding a number of international agencies such as CAFOD, Christian Aid, International Alert and the Life and Peace Institute which are promoting community-based dialogue and women's involvement in the peace and reconciliation process;
	we are supporting UNICEF's role in developing a child demobilisation programme; and
	we closely monitor the humanitarian situation. Our total funding to DRC has increased in recent years. In 200102 our total funding was 5.56 million of which 5.18 million was in respect of humanitarian assistance; in 200203 our total funding was 12.9 million of which 10.89 million was in respect of humanitarian assistance. We stand ready to respond to urgent humanitarian needs.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what estimate the Department has made of the number of deaths due to ethnic conflict in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hilary Benn: There are no accurate figures for the number of deaths due to the conflict in north-east DRC. Red Cross teams have recovered over 300 bodies in Bunia town after the most recent outbreak in fighting there. This is almost certainly only a small fraction of the total number of deaths that have occurred.
	The latest reliable figures quoted by the United Nations are for 2002, and for eastern DRC as a whole. These showed a mortality rate of 3.5 per 1000 per month.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what support the Department provides to Congolese refugees in Uganda.

Hilary Benn: DFID is monitoring the situation of Congolese refugees in Uganda very closely. Information from the border areas indicates that at present the number of refugees is less than originally reported. But we are in close contact with the Red Cross, UN agencies and non-governmental organisations in Uganda who are currently undertaking more detailed assessments of the needs.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 departmental report.

Hilary Benn: The total cost of publication of the 2001 departmental report was 81,576.59.

Departmental Underspending

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to reduce her Department's underspend in 200304 from that of 200203.

Hilary Benn: Accounts for 20023 are still under preparation but any underspend is expected to be small and not to create a need for corrective management action in 20034.

Efficiency Savings

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what the target is for efficiency savings in 200304 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

Hilary Benn: DFID now promotes efficiency through annually reviewed Service Level Agreements for the main administrative overhead functions and by periodic reviews for other areas, rather than through a single efficiency target. The ratio of administrative overheads to the total programme is expected be 1.36 per cent in 200304 compared to 1.42 per cent. in 200203. Had the ratio remained constant, it would have implied administrative overheads some 2 million higher in 200304 than is now planned; this is 1 per cent. of the departmental expenditure limit for Administration costs.

Ethiopia

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in the Bidre resettlement site in Ethiopia; and what action his Department is taking to improve the (a) accommodation facilities, (b) food relief and (c) access to water within the camp.

Hilary Benn: We have not had direct involvement with the Bidre resettlement site. However, we have engaged with the Ethiopian Government and other donors, both through dialogue and joint field visits, to assess the overall impact of the resettlement programme. While some resettlement sites have positive potential, the speed of this programme and limited resources have also resulted in problems. Accommodation, food and water are critical in some sites and must be addressed as a matter of urgency. At the same time, we will work with the Ethiopian Government to help them learn lessons from these early experiences before expanding the programme further.
	In addition, the Ethiopian Government have been providing food and non-food humanitarian assistance to address humanitarian issues, such as food and water, on resettlement sites. We have been playing a significant role in responding to the overall humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, with more than 48 million of humanitarian assistance being provided since the beginning of 2002.

Ethiopia

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what action he is taking to assist people who have suffered from the flooding in southern Ethiopia.

Hilary Benn: The rains in Ethiopia have brought flooding to parts of the Somali region in Ethiopia. It is reported that about 119 people have died and some 110,000 have been forced from their homes.
	A large relief operation is under way, although the UN report that lack of access to affected areas has hampered operations. The Ethiopian Government have used cargo planes to bring in emergency supplies and high-energy food for the victims in the region, and have provided a helicopter. UNICEF, ICRC and the regional government have also been transporting emergency medical kits, water treatment facilities, shelter material and jerry cans. WFP have warned that food aid needs may have to be reassessed because of the flooding.
	Of the over 48 million of humanitarian assistance that DFID has provided for Ethiopia since the beginning of 2002, a substantial proportion has been for the work of ICRC, UNICEF and WFP.

Ethiopia

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on recent levels of malaria in the Somali region of Ethiopia.

Hilary Benn: Following a recent visit by the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Ethiopia country office to the flood affected Somali region, the WHO's Communicable Disease Control Centre in Geneva confirm there is no Malaria epidemic. However, the WHO will continue to monitor the situation given the unstable and seasonal nature of Malaria transmission in the country.

Ethiopia

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much of the food aid promised by the Government to Ethiopia has been delivered; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Since September 2002, Government contributions for cereal food aid have been as follows:
	In October 2002 we provided over 1.4 million Save Children (UK) for the purchase of 6,400 metric tonnes of cereal, which has been delivered.
	We made a contribution of 15 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) in December 2002 and a further 2million in March 2003. Of this 86,335 metric tonnes of cereal, 78,000 metric tonnes was distributed in February and March 2003. The balance is being transported for distribution in areas that will not be accessible during the rainy season. We are in the process of making another payment of 8 million to the WFP, which WFP expect to quickly deliver as food aid by drawing down cereals from the Ethiopian Food Security Reserve.
	Along with other donors, we provided 2 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross Emergency Appeal this February. At the end of April 2003, 13,500 metric tonnes of food aid and 1,700 metric tonnes of seeds had been provided from the Appeal.

Euro

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, when the Secretary of State received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions she has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when she expects to complete her analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) she and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests.

Hilary Benn: The Treasury's 18 supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are holding meetings with Cabinet Members. There will be an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May followed by a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June. The Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June.

Export Control

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development whether the Department made a submission to the DTI consultation on Export Control.

Hilary Benn: No.

Ghana

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what progress has been made in the tendering process for the management and supply of water in Accra, Ghana; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Private sector participation in the management and supply of water supplies in all the urban centres of Ghana is still under consideration by the Government of Ghana. No invitations to tender have been issued.

HIV/AIDS

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the availability of retroviral drugs for pregnant women with AIDS in (a) Malawi, (b) Kenya and (c) South Africa.

Hilary Benn: Following a constitutional court ruling in 2002, the South African Government agreed to make Nevirapine available to all pregnant women for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV. The Government have begun rolling out the provision of Nevirapine, although availability varies between the country's nine Provinces and is not yet universal.
	There are a number of pilot programmes for anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT). The Malawi Global Fund proposal for $198 million over five years, approved in August 2002, includes substantial financial allocations for ART and PMTCT. Clinical guidelines are being developed, but there has been limited progress in addressing equity and targeting issues to date.
	In Kenya, availability of ART is limited to several small pilot projects. However, Kenya's application to the global fund has been approved in principle; it includes $36 million for HIV including the provision for ART for pregnant women. The plan is to cover 10 per cent. of those pregnant women in need of ART in the first year increasing to 60 per cent. by year 4. In making this decision on coverage they took into consideration the support systems required to deliver ART to pregnant women, such as voluntary counselling and testing and adequate medical staff. DFID spends 6.5 million a year on HIV/AIDs in Kenya and is helping the Ministry of Health to develop a comprehensive strategy to deliver ART effectively.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development in which ways gender and women's rights are being taken into account in the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq; and what importance will be given to them in the new constitution of Iraq.

Hilary Benn: DFID, within the influence available to us, will strive to ensure women are included in all phases and levels of reconstruction in Iraq. We must help Iraqi women to ensure that women's rights are a central part of post-war Iraq. We recognise the importance of, and support the demands of Iraqi women for, a Women's meeting before the proposed National Conference in Baghdad, which will consider the political future of Iraq. We are discussing these issues with our partners, including UNIFEM.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: The humanitarian situation in Iraq is improving, but significant challenges remain.
	While progress has been made on restoring law and order, insecurity continues to be a constraint to humanitarian relief work, particularly in and around Baghdad. A more stable environment has been secured around Basra, but risks remain there too.
	The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) did invaluable work in Iraq throughout the conflict to maintain and repair water supply systems and to support hospitals. With the end of major combat operations, international UN staff and NGOs have begun to return to the country. The UN has set up five regional teams to coordinate humanitarian assistance, including one in Basra. In the South, 22 NGOs have established a presence. These include the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), GOAL and War Child which are supported by DFID.
	In many areas water and power services are almost back to pre-conflict levels. The ICRC and UK military are working well together in restoring and maintaining clean water supplies in the South. The situation in other parts of the country, including Kirkuk and Mosul, is also continuing to improve. In Baghdad, some 80 per cent. of the population now have access to water services for some part of the day.
	There is no food crisis at present. Food stocks in the pipeline for June are good, although there are shortages of some commodities which DFID is helping to address by funding the purchase by the World Food Programme (WFP) of pulses and cooking oil. Plans are in hand to purchase local Iraqi crops in the coming weeks.
	The Iraqi health system has suffered from looting, staff being afraid to return to work and unpaid salaries. Coalition forces are now providing security to a number of hospitals to protect staff and prevent further looting, and the ICRC has helped to replace missing equipment. Arrangements are now being made to pay regular salaries to hospital staff and other public sector workers. The World Health Organisation (WHO) report no overall shortage of medical supplies, though localised shortages of some specialist drugs exist. ICRC assesses that there is no need for new or temporary hospitals, and no chronic bed shortages. In Basra, the seasonal cholera outbreak appears to be under control. DFID has donated cholera kits to WHO in case they are needed.
	Accidents caused by mines and unexploded ordinance increased substantially during and since the conflict. The situation is made worse by abandoned Iraqi munitions dumps, some dating back to the Iran-Iraq war and the 1991 conflict. The UN's Mine Action Service (UNMAS), with DFID financial support, is coordinating work to address the problem, but it will be a major long term task.
	DFID has committed 115m to support the work of the Red Cross, UN agencies and international non-governmental organisations in the current crisis. A further 95 million has been set aside for further needs as they emerge.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the availability of medical supplies in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: The World Health Organisation is monitoring medical supplies. Its latest assessment is that there is not an overall shortage of medical supplies in Iraq, though there are shortages of drugs for a few specific conditions.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the supply of (a) clean water, (b) sanitation and (c) electricity throughout Iraq.

Hilary Benn: A number of agencies have now taken part in initial post-conflict assessment missions to determine the state of essential services and to prioritise emergency responses. Most agency assessments and future plans are available from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) website at: www.agoodplacetostart.org
	Maintaining clean water supplies has been an immediate concern. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and others, including the UK military, have done good work to repair water and sanitation facilities, and to supply water by alternative means while supplies are disrupted.
	International agencies, including the ICRC and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), are now supporting local municipality and electricity board work teams to improve the mains power supply in Iraq.
	The situation in many parts of the country is now improving: in Basra the quantity of water supplied now exceeds pre-conflict levels; In Baghdad power and water are now reaching 80 per cent. of the urban population but on an intermittent basis.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent discussions he has had with NGOs concerning the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq.

Hilary Benn: DFID officials and UK NGOs have been meeting weekly since mid-February to discuss latest developments, needs and priorities in Iraq.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what measures are in place to restore and maintain security in Iraq to enable the provision of humanitarian aid.

Hilary Benn: The maintenance of public order in Iraq is a Coalition obligation. In response to continued insecurity Coalition forces are increasing their patrols in Baghdad, in some cases jointly with Iraqi police. The Government is consulting with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on possible next steps. It is vital that a secure environment is established in all areas so that humanitarian agencies can continue to enter Iraq and provide assistance where it is most needed.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which local Iraqi non-governmental organisations his Department is working with.

Hilary Benn: DFID has continuing programmes of support in the north of Iraq, through Save the Children UK, HelpAge International, Christian Aid, Response Relief Resettlement and Rehabilitation (4Rs), A Community Oriented Rehabilitation Network (ACORN); and also with Care in the centre and south of Iraq. These NGOs work extensively with local Iraqi people and local NGOs in the implementation of their programmes. DFID officials hope to meet local Iraqi NGOs once the security situation in Iraq has improved.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps his Government is taking to protect the aid agencies' warehouses containing stockpiles of humanitarian aid in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: As part of their obligations under the Geneva Convention and Hague Regulations UK forces are working to protect storage facilities containing humanitarian supplies.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what measures are in place to help return refugees and internally displaced people to their homes in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: The UN Office of Project Services reports that the majority of newly displaced people have returned to their homes in the north of the country. They are currently surveying groups displaced prior to the conflict and working on plans to assist them in returning home. In addition, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is planning for the return of up to half a million refugees from outside the country, primarily from Iran. DFID has provided 1.75 million to UNHCR since the start of the conflict to assist with their work in Iraq and neighbouring countries.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 394W, on Iraq, what assessment the Department has made of whether there is sufficient infrastructure in place in Iraq to be able to distribute the harvest.

Hilary Benn: The World Food Programme (WFP) and the Iraqi Ministry of Trade (MoT) are assessing the urgent repairs needed to the food distribution infrastructure in Iraq. The Coalition Provisional Authority has said it will provide US $50,000 to each governorate in Iraq to strengthen distribution networks by improving security of sites, making emergency repairs, re-equipping offices and paying transport costs. The Iraqi Public Distribution System for food resumed on 1 June 2003.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development 
	(1)  pursuant to her answer of 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 394W, if he will make a statement on the discussions as soon as they are concluded;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2003, Official Report, columns 39495W, on Iraq, what steps the Department will take should the food stocks run out.

Hilary Benn: Food stocks are not expected to run out in Iraq. The World Food Programme (WFP) is making arrangements to enable it to purchase wheat from Iraq's 2003 harvest. WFP also report that food is entering Iraq from neighbouring countries at a significantly increased rate. The first post-war distribution of food stocks began on 1 June 2003. DFID has provided 33 million to WFP to support their work in Iraq.

Iraq

Michael Weir: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development pursuant to his answer of 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 394W, what drugs shortages there are in Iraq; and what the Department is doing to end these shortages.

Hilary Benn: The World Health Organisation is monitoring medical supplies. Its latest assessment is that, while there is no general shortfall in the availability of most drugs, there is a shortage of drugs for some chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. DFID is supporting the Iraqi Ministry of Health through WHO and other humanitarian agencies to reactivate the former drug distribution system to address these shortages.

Iraq

Robert Walter: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of changes in cancer rates among children in Southern Iraq since 1991.

Hilary Benn: DFID is not aware that any assessment has been made of changes in cancer rates among children in Southern Iraq since 1991, although the previous regime had collected some information on the incidence of cancer in the country. Current work on assessing children's health in Iraq is focused on establishing immediate humanitarian needs.
	Most assessments are available from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) website at: www.agoodplacetostart.org

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development when he expects a full survey of child malnutrition in Iraq to be undertaken.

Hilary Benn: A full and detailed national nutritional survey is not immediately feasible because security conditions in many parts of Iraq are preventing humanitarian agencies' access to households. However, a few agencies, including UNICEF, have undertaken local rapid nutritional assessments in order to gain rough indicators of malnutrition levels. These are currently judged to be moderate, but not alarming. The results from these surveys will be used to prioritise areas for more thorough investigation, and possible provision of assistance, as and when security permits.
	Most agency assessments are available from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) website at: www.agoodplacetostart.org

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the impact of ethnic violence on the humanitarian aid effort in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: We are aware of the incidence of ethnic strife in some areas resulting from the previous regime's policy of 'Arabisation', which forced many Kurds, Turkomans and Assyrians from their homes in Kirkuk and other towns in the north of Iraq. UN agency missions to Kirkuk are currently limited to day visits, but the provision of humanitarian assistance continues through UN and humanitarian agencies. DFID is monitoring the situation closely.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the impact of the war in Iraq on the level of malnutrition among children under five.

Hilary Benn: Accurate data on the impact of the war in Iraq on child malnutrition are not available. Poor nutrition levels among children in Iraq have been a long-term problem that preceded the conflict. Current disruptions to health, water and sanitation services, and a proliferation of diarrhoeal diseases in many urban centres, have increased the risk.
	DFID has provided 9 million to support UNICEF's work in Iraq.

Ivory Coast

Robert Key: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, what assessment the Department has made of the World Food Programme report on the food situation in Cte d'Ivoire.

Hilary Benn: We monitor reports on the humanitarian situation in Cote d'Ivoire closely, including those produced by the World Food Programme. The situation continues to give cause for concern particularly in the west of the country. We have already provided around 1 million towards appeals from international agencies and NGOs working in Cote d'Ivoire, and are considering whether to make a further contribution in the light of the latest UN Consolidated Appeal.

Liberia

Robert Key: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment the Department has made of recent refugee movements in Liberia; what resources are available to them; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Our information on refugee movements, as well as those of internally displaced citizens in Liberia derives from reports of the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), in Monrovia. HMG does not have a permanent representation there. The reports, and those of other agencies, are generally available on the Relief website. Continuing war in Liberia has led to increased refugee flows into surrounding countries. Latest estimates from the UN (as at April 2003) indicate that some 225,000 Liberians were officially registered as refugees in neighbouring countries. This figure was swelled during the last week (to 28 May 2003), when more than 15,000 crossed the eastern border into Cote D'Ivoire.
	DFID'S most recent commitment to the crisis in Liberia was in March 2003 in the form of a grant to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for 550,000 for humanitarian assistance and funding for MSF (Belgium) for health service provision for the Redemption Hospital in Monrovia and the outreach services that it provides for outlying areas. We have also made substantial contributions this year towards programmes of the UN High Commission for Refugees, the UN Children's Fund and the ICRC in Guinea (1.6 million), Sierra Leone (1.4 million) and Cote D'Ivoire (1 million).

Madagascar

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what response he will make to the United Nations Development Programme appeal of 19 May following the destruction caused by cyclone Manou in eastern Madagascar.

Hilary Benn: Our assessment of the situation in eastern Madagascar is that while the cyclone was serious, the national structures in place are currently proving sufficient in providing appropriate assistance. We continue to monitor the situation closely.
	Relief to Madagascar is presently being provided by a number of donors including the UN agencies of UNICEF, WFP and OCHA, which the UK supports through its Institutional Strategic Partnership programme.
	Should the situation worsen, or continue for any length of time, DFID would then consider providing further support to the response.

Malawi

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what discussions he has had with the Government of Malawi concerning prevention of HIV and AIDS in prisons.

Hilary Benn: None. The Malawi Government Health Policy, endorsed by the Ministry of Justice and the Prison Department, advocates treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) for prisoners to help control the AIDS epidemic. DFID's Safety, Security and Access to Justice (MaSSAJ) programme supports the National Council for Safety and Justice (NCSJ), which has endorsed implementation of a Health in Prison Programme. As part of this, a local NGO, Banja La Mtsogolo, is conducting STI treatment and HIV/AIDS and STI prevention information programmes in all Malawi Prisons. The Head of DFID (Malawi) is a full member of NCSJ.

Malawi

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what discussions he has had with the Malawi Government regarding the emigration of (a) doctors and (b) nurses from Malawi.

Hilary Benn: None. However we are concerned about recruitment of trained medical personnel from developing countries. The Department of Health (DoH) introduced a Code of Practice in 2001 designed to prevent such recruitment. The DoH has listed particular countries from which active recruitment should be avoided. Malawi is one of these. DFID is working with DoH to ensure the Code is effective. However the Code of Practice is only applicable to NHS recruitment. Anecdotal evidence shows that UK private recruitment agencies continue to recruit from Malawi, and other countries on the DoH list. DFID is gathering evidence on the exact nature and scale of such recruitment to determine if action can be taken to reduce its impact.

Mozambique

Robert Key: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment the Department has made of the recent cholera outbreaks in Mozambique; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Cholera is endemic in Mozambique and outbreaks occur annually and may sometimes develop into severe epidemics. DFID supports the Ministry of Health through planning and budgeting mechanisms and the annual plan contains a budget line for emergencies of this kind.
	The Ministry of Health, together with its partnersDFID includedhave developed an established and relatively efficient response to cholera and other epidemics. Over the last few years, the Ministry of Health has become well equipped and capable of managing outbreaks with less and less support from cooperating partners.
	DFID is providing specific support to a research project in the Ministry of Health to establish a predictive model for cholera epidemics using simple environmental and social indicators, based on which it will be easier to support cost effective prevention of cholera through action on environmental health interventions, improved community responses to epidemics, and vaccine delivery.

North Korea

Gary Streeter: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what aid the Department for International Development has provided for North Korea in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The UK's policy towards engagement with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has resulted in limited humanitarian contributions. There are many constraints to humanitarian agencies operating in North Korea, including problems of access.
	DFID contributed 500,000 for humanitarian assistance projects in 200001. In 200102, we contributed just over 2 million to UNICEF for essential drugs, immunisation and water and sanitation and to the British Red Cross for disaster preparedness and flood relief. There were no contributions in 2002 due to the problems of access. We continue to assess the situation for possible funding for 2003.
	DFID is also providing support through the European Community's programme. In each of the years 2000 and 2001, the European Community allocated approximately 3 million euros to the DPRK. In 2003, the EC's contribution has been 7.5 million euros so far. These contributions have been to target primary health care and food security. DFID contributes approximately 19 per cent. of the European Community's funding.

Office Closures

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what the cost to the Department of office closures was in the last 12 months.

Hilary Benn: Seven offices in East Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia) closed at the end of 200203 financial year; this was due to the winding down of DFID programmes as a result of impending membership of the EC. These closures have generated a net saving in 20034 of 280,000, excluding the cost of UK staff redeployed to other programmes.
	In a few cases, other DFID offices were temporarily affected by security concerns. The closures were only for a few days and any financial costs would have been minimal. Certain other offices were temporarily scaled down, incurring additional costs for temporary repatriation; the main example was New Delhi, resulting from a heightening of tensions in South Asia. These costs are not separately accounted for and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Oil for Food Programme

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the provision of food aid through the Oil for Food Programme.

Hilary Benn: It will be important to get a food distribution programme fully re-established as soon as possible. 16 million Iraqis depended on the Oil for Food Programme (OFF) before the conflict. The World Food Programme (WFP) is aiming to build up supplies similar to those provided then (480,000 tonnes of food per month) as soon as possible. We are working with the UN's Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP), WFP, the Coalition's Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs (ORHA) and the Iraqi Ministry of Trade to achieve this. WFP has sufficient stocks of most food commodities for June, although there are still some shortages of milk powder, salt and pulses. DFID has contributed 33 million to WFP since the start of the crisis.
	The OIP has recently agreed to the use of OFF funds for the purchase of wheat and barley from this year's harvest in Iraq. Buying crops locally will assist in meeting requirements projected by WFP for August and September, at the same time as injecting cash into Iraq's rural economy.
	UN Security Council Resolution 1483, adopted 22 May, extended the OFF for a final six months. Responsibility for the provision of food aid after that passes to the Authority established by the Coalition.

Palestine

Richard Burden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2003, Official Report, column 523W if he will make a statement on the responses received from the Israeli Government to (a) UK and (b) EU representations on the impact of Israeli military action on Palestinian infrastructure and water supplies; and what indication the Israeli Government have given of a change in their policy.

Hilary Benn: The UK has not received any specific response from the Government of Israel to the representations we made about the impact of military action on Palestinian infrastructure and water supplies. Neither has the EU. The Government of Israel have not given any indication of an intention to change their policy. We will continue to press Israel to undertake confidence-building measures to support implementation of the Roadmap, and to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Hilary Benn: Information on DFID's PSA targets is published on the DFID website, on HMT's website and in the SR2002 White Paper. DFID publishes information on progress towards the targets twice a year, in the Departmental Report and in the Autumn Performance Report. In addition. the Treasury now publishes progress towards all the Government's PSA targets on its website. None of this publicity involves significant extra cost to the Department.
	The NAO's April 2002 report on DFID's performance management highlighted that DFID's performance management framework complies with good practice in many respects. However, it also noted that many staff were not aware of DFID's Public Service Agreement targets or did not view them as an important influence on their activity. To address this, DFID instituted a wide ranging communication programme including videos, explanatory booklets, and presentations by Heads of Department. The total cost of the contract with the production company that produced the videos and other materials was approximately 72,000. This includes materials which we will use over the next three years for induction and training.

Redundancies

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many redundancies there have been within DFID by (a) Department, (b) specialist area and (c) seniority since July 2002.

Hilary Benn: Sixteen members of DFID staff have left the Department under voluntary early departure arrangements since July 2002. Of these two have been members of the Senior Civil Service and 14 had been in management grades.

Redundancies

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many projected redundancies there are within the Department, broken down by (a) internal department, (b) specialist area and (c) seniority.

Hilary Benn: Eight members of DFID civil service staff have accepted offers of voluntary early departure and are due to leave the Department between 22 May and 31 December 2003. All are in management grades. There are no current projections for further redundancies.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

Hilary Benn: The number of staff on long-term sick absence was as follows:
	1 April 200131 March 2002: 39
	1 April 200231 March 2003: 39
	DFID classifies sick absence of three months or more as long term. DFID is working towards a reduction of 23.8 per cent. in sick absence rates from 8.4 days per staff year in 1998 to 6.4 in 2003.

Somalia

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the levels of food security in southern Somalia following the flooding of the Juba and Shabelle river basins.

Hilary Benn: There has been localised flooding in the Juba and Shabelle river basins in Somalia, particularly in the Jowhar, Jamame, Bualle and Jilib districts. The risk of flooding has been compounded by farmers opening up river-banks to facilitate flood cultivation.
	However, the general food security situation in Somalia is relatively good. The main sorghum and maize harvest of 2002 was up by as much as 40 per cent. from average years and 80 per cent. up on the 2001 harvest. The January 2003 (and secondary) harvest was also good and this rainy season (April/May), although late, has been above average.
	The UK is assisting efforts at political resolution of the conflict in Somalia, as well as continuing a humanitarian programme (with some 3 million per year), supporting agencies such as UNICEF, ICRC and MSF Spain in the Juba and Shabelle valleys. If the situation should worsen, or continue for any length of time, DFID would then consider providing further support.

Somalia

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact the closure of Al-Haramyn aid agency will have on humanitarian efforts in Somalia.

Hilary Benn: While the departure of any NGO providing humanitarian assistance in Somalia is unfortunate, the withdrawal of Al Haramayn's small Saudi team will not have a significant impact on the large international assistance programme to the country. It is still unclear what will happen to the children who benefited from Al Haramayn's support to orphanages and schools. We and other members of the international community are making inquiries.

Sri Lanka

Robert Key: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment the Department has made of the humanitarian consequences of recent monsoon floods in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Following the disastrous floods in Sri Lanka and discussions with the government, DFID is providing 270,000 for immediate humanitarian relief. These funds are being channelled through UNHCR, OXFAM and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). DFID representatives visited Ratnapura last week to assess the situation and monitor distribution of non-food items.

Sudan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Southern Sudan.

Hilary Benn: Urgent humanitarian needs remain in Sudan, including in south Sudan. High rates of malnutrition, epidemic levels of disease, and destitution caused by forced movement of people mean that a continuing humanitarian response will be necessary. DFID has so far in 2003 funded 7.7 million worth of humanitarian support.

Sudan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent discussions he has had with non-governmental organisations working in Sudan.

Hilary Benn: DFID staff regularly meet NGOs working in north and south Sudan, both here and in Sudan, on a bilateral and group basis. International and Sudanese NGOs took part in a recent conference in the Netherlands on priority setting for development when peace comes; NGOs will have a key role to play when it does. It will be important for NGOs to focus on poverty-reduction to deliver real benefits to the Sudanese people.

Sudan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the fighting and humanitarian situation in Dafur.

Hilary Benn: We are concerned about the escalation of fighting in Darfur. The situation is unpredictable in EI-Fashir and Geneina, and tense in Nyala. Movement of people and goods will remain difficult while the fighting persists. There is a need to expand humanitarian access to drought affected people in west and north Darfur and vulnerable people in south Darfur. The Government of Sudan is concerned for the safety of' humanitarian aid workers but hopes to improve humanitarian access in the near future.

Sudan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of human rights violations in (a) Sudan and (b) Dafur, Sudan.

Hilary Benn: The protection of human rights for all in Sudan, including in Darfur, is a high priority in our contacts with the Sudanese authorities, both bilaterally (through the embassy) and through the continuing EU dialogue with both the Government of Sudan and the SPLM. The embassy in Khartoum will arrange to visit Darfur as soon as the security situation permits, and we will continue to press for improvements in human rights.
	EU Heads of Mission raised Darfur in their meeting with Dr. Mutrif, Permanent Under Secretary equivalent, at the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 22 May.

Sudan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will take steps to send an independent international commission of inquiry to Dafur.

Hilary Benn: We are, of course, concerned about the situation in Darfur, including human rights and raise it regularly with the Sudanese authorities. My right hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham Ladywood raised it with the First Vice-President of Sudan last month.
	There are still problems of access to Darfur, but the Embassy in Khartoum will arrange a visit as soon as the security situation permits.

Sudan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what progress is being made in southern Sudan on the control of Guinea worm.

Hilary Benn: The number of cases of Guinea worm (Dracunculiasis) worldwide has dropped 98 per cent. from 3.5 million to 50,000, in only a little more than 10 years. Results have been so promising that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has targeted Guinea worm as only the second disease, after smallpox, to be eradicated. Sudan is home to nearly 80 per cent. of the world's remaining cases (and of these as many as 99 per cent. are in the south), and therefore, clearly a target for continuing eradication efforts.
	The WHO considers Guinea worm is a promising candidate for successful eradication for a number of reasons: diagnosis is easy; the vector (Cyclops) is not very mobile; the Guinea worm has a short incubation period in the vector and in humans; interventions are effective, cheap and simple; the disease has a limited geographic distribution and is seasonal; success has been demonstrated in several countries in Asia and the Middle East; and there is no known animal reservoir.
	Although there has been progress in Sudan, notably through the efforts of the Carter Center (a US-based NGO), a genuine and sustained peace will make eradication a real possibility. We will continue to offer the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and mediators our full support and to remain actively involved in helping them reach a comprehensive peace agreement in 2003.

Tanzania

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the current food shortages in (a) Tanzania and (b) the Singida region of Tanzania.

Hilary Benn: The Government of Tanzania carried out an initial food crop assessment in May. Plans are also under way for the Food Security and Information Team (a joint donor, NGO and government working group) to undertake an assessment in July to identify particular areas of vulnerability. These assessments are normally conducted on a countrywide basis. DFID is ready to consider any request which the Government of Tanzania may make as a result of these assessments.

Tanzania

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much aid the Department is giving to Tanzania to deal with the current food shortages.

Hilary Benn: During 200304 DFID will provide 80,000,000 to Tanzania to support the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). Agriculture and food security is a priority sector in the PRS and therefore a proportion of our support is used by the Government of Tanzania to address issues of vulnerability and food insecurity throughout the country. The Government of Tanzania is currently undertaking assessments of food shortages. DFID is ready to consider any request which the Government may make as a result of these assessments.

Tanzania

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development whether there have been early warning system forecasts on the food shortages in Tanzania.

Hilary Benn: It was anticipated that the exceptionally low rainfall so far this year could potentially threaten food security in Tanzania. This led the government of Tanzania to carry out an initial food and crop survey in May. A further assessment is anticipated in July to identify particularly vulnerable areas following the June harvest.

UNESCO

Lembit �pik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development for what reasons his Department decided to end funding for the UNESCO UK Commission at the end of March 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made on 6 May 2003 by the previous Secretary of State for International Development, Official Report, column 27WS.

Uzbekistan

Louise Ellman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of child labour used in cotton picking in Uzbekistan.

Hilary Benn: Although DFID has not made an assessment of child labour used in cotton picking in Uzbekistan, the Department is committed to tackling child labour as part of its work on eliminating poverty and promote human rights and social justice. We are working towards long-lasting changes, tackling the underlying poverty and discrimination that force children into harmful work. In addition we are supporting the work of the International Labour Organisation and its International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC). This includes addressing the problem of child labour through our basic education projects, through support to the programmes of civil society organisations such as Save the Children and by working with socially responsible business through the Ethical Trading Initiative.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: Zimbabwe is still facing an acute humanitarian crisis. Although there is likely to be a modest increase in the maize crop, many Zimbabweans will remain vulnerable due to a poorly managed and funded Government food distribution programme; dramatic economic declineparticularly rising inflation and unemployment; and chronic illness (particularly AIDS).
	People in the south and west, where there has been little or no crop, are particularly vulnerable, as are approximately 200,000 farm workersperhaps 1 million people with their familieswho lost livelihoods after the fast track land programme. DFID is awaiting more details on the numbers and the location of populations at risk from the national vulnerability assessment, FAO/WFP crop survey and the national nutrition survey, which will give more precise information on the scale of the humanitarian crisis.
	DFID support for the humanitarian crisis will continue in 20034 through NGOs and UN feeding programmes. At this stage we envisage the DFID response will be on similar scale to last year.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much food aid is reaching the people of Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: In the last year, the Government of Zimbabwe has imported 700,000 tonnes of maize, though the targeting and distribution of this food has not been transparent and has been criticised by Zimbabweans as erratic and biased. Many areas have received no distribution from Government sources for up to six months. Donors have imported and distributed around 300,000 tonnes of maize. This has been distributed to vulnerable people according to humanitarian principles and has been monitored closely.
	The national nutrition and health survey is expected to confirm that, overall, the aid effort in the last year has been successful, although there are areas with raised levels of malnutrition, unmet needs and continuing dependence on food aid. The prospects for the coming year remain dismal. The Government of Zimbabwe have yet to release a revised crop forecast or the results of a vulnerability assessment and the afore-mentioned national health and nutrition survey. They have no public plans to address the situation, and it seems likely that despite a higher maize harvest, the need for humanitarian assistance may be as high or even greater than last year as the collapsing economy limits the Government's capacity to import food.

DEFENCE

Agency Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds.

Geoff Hoon: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Temporary staff are generally used as an interim measure to fill posts that cannot be filled conventionally in the required timescale or to cover short term peaks in workload.

Antonovs

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) of 16 May 2003, Official Report, column 442W, in which locations chartered Antonovs were used in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; what the total cost of chartering the Antonovs has been since October 2001; how many Antonovs are under charter; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Chartered Antonovs have been used in the locations set out as follows:
	
		
			 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Afghanistan Afghanistan Afghanistan 
			 Kenya Falkland Islands Bahrain 
			 Oman Kenya Cyprus 
			  Oman Jordan 
			  Trinidad Kuwait 
			  USA Qatar 
			   Saudi Arabia 
			   Sierra Leone 
			   United Arab Emirates 
		
	
	The total cost of Antonov charters since October 2001 has been some 48.5 million. This figure is provisional and subject to final audit. There are no Antonov aircraft currently on charter but a requirement may arise at any time for such commercial airlift, to supplement the RAF Air Transport Force, in time of crisis or high tasking. The Antonov AN-124 is used in a heavy-lift role and is primarily utilized for the movement of out-sized or wheeled loads which exceed the capacity of RAF aircraft. Such large capacity can enable the more rapid deployment of equipment in support of UK operations overseas.

Armed Forces (Academic Lessons)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what non-operational academic lessons are given in training to officers in all branches of the armed forces; what (a) history, (b) military history and (c) political lessons are provided; what links there are to civilian educational establishments; and if he will make a statement on the value of such education to professional soldiers.

Lewis Moonie: The training and education provided to military officers is designed to underpin operational capability and to develop a skills base for our people. The courses in the areas raised vary across the three Services. I will write to my hon. Friend with details of the courses available and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces (Academic Lessons)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision is made to teach naval history to Royal Navy (a) officers and (b) crew; whether visits to historical naval sites are made available; and if he will make a statement on the purpose of teaching British naval history to the Royal Navy.

Lewis Moonie: The teaching of naval history is an integral element of initial and through-career training and education of RN officers. Specific teaching is delivered at Britannia Royal Naval College (itself a significant historical site) for new entry RN officers and at the Commando Training Centre for Royal Marine officers. At key points of an officer's career further naval history is taught.
	Naval ratings receive, as part of their initial training, periods of instruction under the title of 'Naval General Training' which is fundamental to the inculcation of the naval ethos and includes defence and political studies. Royal Marine other ranks receive lessons in naval history and amphibious operations.
	Visits are undertaken routinely to the historic dockyard at Portsmouth housing the Royal Naval Museum, HMS Victory, Warrior and the Mary Rose, as well as to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport.
	Naval history thus continues to form a key part of naval thinking and ethos. In addition to engendering a sense of esprit de corps, tradition and a pride in past achievements among those serving in the Royal Navy, current debates on the future role of maritime forces are being informed by Naval Historical Branch staff. The Ministry of Defence also contributes some 2.6 million per annum towards the running costs of the Royal Naval, Royal Marines, Submarine and Fleet Air Arm Museums.

Armed Forces Accommodation

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what service housing is available to military personnel; how much has been (a) sold, (b) built and (c) improved since 1997; what plans he has to integrate military families with surrounding civilian families; and what support is available to military personnel with families unable to find suitable accommodation.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Housing Executive (DHE) maintains about 50,000 family properties for allocation to Service personnel in mainland United Kingdom.
	About 16,000 surplus properties have been disposed of since 1997, mainly by release to Annington Homes Ltd. to whom most of the family housing stock (other than in Scotland) had already been sold in 1996 under a sale and leaseback agreement.
	Since its formation in 1995, the DHE has acquired about 2,380 new build houses for Service families in locations where existing housing was insufficient or required rebuilding.
	The overall condition of the housing stock has been improved substantially. Since the formation of DHE in 1995, the number of properties at Standard 1 for Condition has risen from about 1,000 to about 21,000. This has been achieved partly through upgrade and improvement work and partly by disposal and selective rebuilding.
	Service families are not left unable to find suitable accommodation. Normally DHE keeps houses waiting for people, not people waiting for houses. In the event that DHE locally has insufficient properties for entitled Service families, arrangements are made to rent additional properties from the private sector.
	The substantial disposal programme for surplus MOD housing has contributed significantly to the integration of military and civilian families. Although available for the population generally, a significant minority of ex-MOD houses are believed to have been bought by Service or ex-Service personnel.

Armed Forces Personnel (Records)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where and in what form files of (a) personnel, (b) medical and (c) disciplinary records of members of Her Majesty's armed forces are stored after their death; how long these files are retained; and what access is available for interested parties.

Lewis Moonie: The locations and formats of the personnel records, including medical and disciplinary records, of members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces who have died vary according to their Service and the age of the records. Service personnel records are now normally held by the Ministry of Defence for 100 years from date of birth for administrative purposes, with those records over 30 years old being retained with the authority of the Lord Chancellor.
	The surviving personnel records of those who served up to the early part of the last century are now publicly available in the National Archives at Kew, though the exact dates of the records available vary according to Service.
	Information from the records of deceased personnel still held by the MOD is normally only disclosed to the next of kin or to those authorities with a legitimate reason to receive the information, such as HM Coroner or the Police. Otherwise it is Departmental policy to obtain the consent of the next of kin as part of the consideration for a request for disclosure. Access to the medical records of deceased service personnel is normally governed by the Access to Medical Health Records Act 1990. Outside this, medical information is not normally disclosed without the consent of the personal representative or the next of kin.

Cadet Forces

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance is given to local areas to raise (a) the level of and (b) finance available to cadet forces.

Lewis Moonie: The Army Cadets and the Air Training Corps are voluntary youth organisations sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and are funded appropriate to the way they are organised. The MOD provides support to both the Army Cadet Force (ACF) and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) in the form of financial assistance, material and limited regular Army manpower resources. The Air Cadet Organisation is funded in a similar way. Efforts at a local level to raise the profile of, and finance available to, cadet forces must be conducted within the finite resources allocated.
	The Sea Cadet Corps (SCC), unlike the Cadet Corps of the other two services who receive the majority of their funding from the MOD, is an independent youth movement administered by the Sea Cadet Association (SCA), which is a registered charity. The MOD support for the SCC is defined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the SCA agreed in July 2001. Under the MOU we provide annual funding that helps to provide for the HQ for the SCA and covers the cost of a number of personnel. Due to their independent, charitable status, SCC units are responsible for their own affairs such as raising their public profile and funding.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the size and nature of military forces required to restore peace and security in the Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The situation in and around Bunia remains complicated and volatile. The United Kingdom is concerned and calls on all parties to honour their commitments under the relevant peace agreements.
	In response to a request from the UN, the UK has agreed to provide a small contribution to a multi-national force to stabilise Bunia, pending the deployment of additional forces by the UN. We are actively discussing with France and the UN what precisely our contribution might be and have authorised a reconnaissance to inform our decision on the size, scope and nature of this contribution.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions have taken place at NATO regarding the situation in the Congo region.

Adam Ingram: The French Ambassador to the North Atlantic Council (NAC) informed other NATO colleagues on 28 May 2003 about the security situation in the Congo. He also confirmed that the UN had officially requested French assistance. The NAC went onto to discuss whether the operation would be under a UN or ESDP leadership. No decision has yet been made.
	We understand that the Interim Emergency Multinational Force for Bunia (north-eastern DRC), mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1484 (30 May 2003), might be discussed at a NATO-EU ministerial meeting today.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what resources the Government will provide in response to the UN Secretary-General's call for the deployment of a rapid reaction force to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Adam Ingram: In response to a request from the UN, the United Kingdom has agreed to provide a small contribution to a multi-national force to stabilise Bunia. We are actively discussing with France and the UN what precisely our contribution might be and have authorised a reconnaissance to inform our decision on the size, scope and nature of this contribution.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with (a) the UN, (b) the US, (c) the EU and (d) France regarding the situation in the Congo north-eastern Ituri province; and what requests he has received for military assistance concerning this matter;
	(2)  what discussions took place between the EU Defence Ministers on 19 May 2003 concerning the situation in the Congo; and what conclusions were reached.

Adam Ingram: At the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on 19 May 2003 the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo was discussed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and his French counterpart.
	In response to a request from the UN, the United Kingdom has agreed to provide a small contribution to a multi-national force to stabilise Bunia. We are actively discussing with France and the UN what precisely our contribution might be.
	There have been no discussions between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and his United States counterpart.

Correspondence

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to send the letter promised on 28 April in response to Parliamentary Questions tabled by the hon. Member for Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 11 April concerning the prisoner of war camp at Umm Qasr.

Adam Ingram: I replied to the hon.Member on 22 May.

Critical Manning Groups

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what critical manning groups have been identified in the Royal Navy; and in each case what is its strength against establishment.

Lewis Moonie: As at 1 May 2003, the five most critical manning groups in the Royal Navy, in terms of their impact on Operational Capability, are:
	
		
			 Group Requirement Strength Shortfall % 
		
		
			 Warfare Branch Lieutenants (Submarines) 165 95 -40 
			 Category B Nuclear Watch KeepersChief Petty Officers 371 280 -24.5 
			 Weapons Engineering Artificers (Submarines)Chief Petty Officers 313 256 -18.3 
			 Warfare Branch Leading Hands 2,334 1,994 -8.2 
			 Weapons Engineering Artificers (General Service)Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officers 878 806 -6

Death-in-service Benefits

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on proposed changes to death-in-service benefits.

Lewis Moonie: The proposals for a new Armed Forces Pension Scheme, published for consultation in March 2001, included a number of improvements to current death-in-service arrangements; one of these was an increase to the death-in-service gratuity to three times pensionable salary. I expect to announce our final decision on the design of the new scheme before the Summer recess, taking account of responses to our consultation document.

Defence Estate Catering

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the (a) quantity, (b) quality and (c) source of non-UK produced eggs used in catering facilities on the defence estate.

Adam Ingram: A total of 470,000 dozen non-United Kingdom produced eggs are purchased annually from various sources dependent upon the country in which the armed forces are operating annually at a cost of 347,000. Eggs supplied to units in Germany and the Balkans are sourced from Germany, eggs for Gibraltar are sourced from Spain and Cyprus source local eggs. All eggs and egg producers meet EU quality standards.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

Adam Ingram: The cost of publishing the Ministry of Defence's annual Performance Report 200001 (Cm 5290) was largely borne by The Stationery Office, with whom the contract for producing Command Papers is held. The Stationery Office recoups these costs on a commercial basis through sales of the Reports.
	The total cost to the Ministry of Defence was made up of two main elements: the number of copies purchased from TSO for our own use (e.g. internal distribution, MOD libraries), plus any additional printing/publication costs not covered by the TSO contract (e.g. overtime, special finishes or colours). For the 200001 Departmental Performance Report, the MOD paid The Stationery Office 12,610.
	MOD staff costs associated with producing this Report cannot be accurately assessed without incurring disproportionate expense.

Departmental Underspending

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce his Department's underspend in 200304 from that of 200203.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is currently estimating financial outturn to be less than 1 per cent. below total DEL provision. Planned spending for 200304 is set out in the Ministry of Defence's Departmental Report published in May 2003 (CM 5912) and the Department will continue to manage the delivery of Defence outputs within Departmental Expenditure Limits.

Depleted Uranium

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of post-war health and environmental issues arising as a result of the employment of depleted uranium weapons in the recent conflict with Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence welcomed the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) desk study on Iraq which commented on the use of depleted uranium weapons. The next step is for UNEP to conduct an in-depth survey of health and environmental issues. We look forward to this study and will do whatever we can to facilitate it.

Depleted Uranium

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  to what extent the recent conflict with Iraq has affected efforts to make safe and remove the remains of depleted uranium weapons employed in that region during the first Gulf War;
	(2)  what steps have been taken to remove and make safe depleted uranium weapons employed in the recent conflict with Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Drummore Harbour

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the plans to change the ownership of Drummore Harbour.

Lewis Moonie: Drummore Harbour is being considered as part of a wider review of associated facilities in the area. In the event that it becomes surplus to Ministry of Defence requirements, it will be sold in accordance with Government Accounting Regulations. As part of this process, all legal ownership matters, and any extant legal agreements for the use of the harbour, will be fully investigated and validated.

Drummore Harbour

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many test-firing targets are stored at Drummore Harbour.

Lewis Moonie: None.

Efficiency Savings

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the target is for efficiency savings in 200304 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

Adam Ingram: The efficiency target set for the Department in its 2002 Public Service Agreement is to increase value for money by making improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the key processes supporting the delivery of military capability, such as training, equipment acquisition, and logistics. In percentage terms, the Department aims to achieve output efficiency averaging 2.5 per cent. per annum over the period from 200203 to 200506.
	Because this target is set in terms of output efficiency, and because it applies to the processes supporting the delivery of military capability, and not to the overall Defence budget, it cannot be meaningfully expressed as savings in money terms or as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

Field Hospitals (Gulf)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many patients on average are being treated daily by TA medical services in field hospitals in the Gulf.

Lewis Moonie: The majority of Territorial Army medical personnel are now serving with 202 Volunteer Field Hospital at Shaibah Airfield, Iraq. Between 19 and 22 May, an average of 79 patients were treated daily by this unit.

Heathrow

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact on military flights at Northolt of a third runway at Heathrow.

Adam Ingram: The Department for Transport has consulted the Ministry of Defence about the proposed third runway at London Heathrow. We believe that a third runway would preclude flying activity at RAF Northolt.

Iraq

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many injured servicemen have been returned from the Gulf to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on (a) medical and (b) convalescence treatment available to them.

Lewis Moonie: Between 14 February and 21 May, 1,241 United Kingdom Service personnel were aeromedically evacuated from the Gulf, as a result of injury (including non-battle injuries) or for other medical reasons.
	Medical treatment was available to UK Service personnel through the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Ministry of Defence Hospital units within NHS Hospitals, NHS Hospitals and the Royal Hospital, Haslar. The Defence Medical Services Rehabilitation Unit, Headley Court provides convalescence treatment for UK Service personnel.

Iraq

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects that adequate supplies of Paludrine will be available for use by British forces serving in (a) Northern Iraq and (b) Basra.

Lewis Moonie: Adequate supplies of Paludrine are available for use by United Kingdom armed forces serving in Iraq.

Iraq

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been given to military personnel on duty in Iraq to safeguard sites and collections of archaeological importance.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom is committed to the protection of cultural property during any military conflict regardless of the Campaign. UK Service personnel are provided with briefings on the significance of sites of archaeological interest and museums, and are also informed of their responsibilities when conducting operations near such sites, in accordance with additional protocols to the Geneva Convention.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of civilian casualties in Iraq as a consequence of the dropping of cluster bombs; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: We are aware of no proven reports of civilian casualties caused by UK cluster weapons.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the decision to give responsibility for the hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to the US.

Geoff Hoon: No such decision has been made. Operations to uncover evidence of programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction in Iraq are currently being conducted by coalition forces. Coalition forces include both United States and United Kingdom personnel, in an integrated command structure.

Iraq

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to (a) prevent further looting of cultural artefacts and antiquities in Iraq and (b) ensure the security of museums and other repositories of works of art and cultural value.

Adam Ingram: Since the liberation of Iraq, Coalition forces have been working to restore security through a number of different means including mobile patrols and vehicle checkpoints. In addition, certain key sites, which are assessed to remain at risk are currently being guarded, including the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad. However, in general the provision of static guards is not an effective means of providing a safe and secure environment.
	Our approach is to re-establish local police and guard forces to undertake this task, initially trained and overseen by Coalition forces.

Iraq

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures were taken by Coalition forces to protect the contents of museums in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities during the recent conflict.

Adam Ingram: Throughout the military campaign, Coalition forces have taken tremendous care to ensure that damage to museums and other sites of historic, archaeological or cultural importance has been minimised. Great care was taken to ensure that such sites were not targeted by Coalition aircraft. Ground troops were briefed on the need to be especially careful while conducting operations in the vicinity of these sites.
	Some looting was reported as Iraq was being liberated, during which time Coalition forces were engaged in other high priority tasks, including war-fighting operations.

Iraq

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Coalition troops, broken down by country, (a) were in place on 10 April 2003 and (b) are currently in place outside Iraqi (i) museums, (ii) libraries, (iii) archives, (iv) monuments and (v) sites; and what proportion of total Coalition troops these figures represent, broken down by country.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Whilst combat operations were under way, Coalition forces were not tasked to guard specific sites, as this would have meant that they would have presented themselves as targets, and prevented them from carrying out other high priority tasks. However, exceptions were made for key facilities, such as some hospitals.
	Coalition forces are now guarding some buildings such as Ministries and also the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad. However, the preference is to conduct routine patrols that project an unpredictable presence over a wide area.

Iraq

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efforts the armed forces are making to secure former Iraqi government buildings; and if he will make a statement on the discovery by journalists of Iraqi government documents.

Adam Ingram: Since the liberation of Iraq, United Kingdom forces have been working to restore security through a number of different means including patrols, vehicle check points and static guarding. Certain sites are currently being guarded by UK forces including key government buildings and public record offices. Overall, our approach is to re-establish local police and guard forces that will initially be trained and overseen by UK forces.
	We are aware of reports that journalists have discovered Iraqi government documents in a building in Baghdad. However, this is an area under the control of United States forces and the decision on which buildings to guard is a matter for them.

Iraq

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to assess the exposure of Iraqi civilians to depleted uranium.

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  pursuant to his response of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 38W, on depleted uranium, whether his Department will make (a) radio and (b) television public announcements in Iraq to alert the Iraqi people to the safety precautions needed with depleted uranium;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 38W, on depleted uranium, whether his Department will disseminate this information to Iraqis;
	(3)  what action he has taken with non-governmental organisations to develop a strategy to deal with public awareness of the localised dangers caused by depleted uranium used in munitions in Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friends and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministry of Defence Hospital Units have been used for the treatment of casualties from hostilities in the Gulf.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence hospital units that have received casualties from the Gulf requiring in-patient treatment are the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham, and the MOD hospital units at Frimley Park hospital, Friarage hospital at Northallerton and the Royal hospital Haslar. The MOD hospital unit at the Derriford hospital at Plymouth has treated returned patients but on an out-patient basis only.

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British military personnel are performing guarding duties at prisoner of war camps.

Adam Ingram: Under the terms of an agreement reached between the governments of the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia at the outset of the conflict, prisoners of war captured by UK forces were held for an initial period by UK personnel before being transferred into the custody of the US. At present, therefore, only US personnel are carrying out guarding duties for prisoners of war held in Iraq. UK personnel have full access to prisoners captured by UK forces and the UK retains primary right of jurisdiction over all prisoners transferred from UK to US forces in respect of acts committed prior to their transfer.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the sources of the knowledge assembled on the Iraqi programme of weapons of mass destruction.

Geoff Hoon: Sources of information on Iraqi programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction would include sensitive sources covered by Exemptions 1, 4 or 14 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. We will aim to release information concerning evidence of Iraqi WMD programmes when and where appropriate, as we did before the conflict began.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence has been found following the conflict that Iraq had continued to develop weapons of mass destruction programmes, in defiance of UN resolutions.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 19 May 2003
	Coalition forces have identified materials which may be related to Iraqi programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction, including vehicles which appear to match descriptions of mobile biological agent production facilities in the document Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction published on 24 September 2002, and as presented to the Union Nations Security Council by the United States Secretary of State. We currently assess that these vehicles are military, are transportable systems designed for producing micro-organisms, and as such should have been declared by Iraq under United Nations Security Council resolution 1441, but were not. Our investigations continue. We expect that the gathering and collating of evidence from various sources of Iraqi programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction to be a long and complex task.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the sites were from which Iraqi weapons of mass destruction could have been launched in 45 minutes; and whether they have been destroyed.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 19 May 2003
	We are aware of a large number of sites in Iraq which may be related to the development, storage or use of weapons of mass destruction. Investigations into these sites, their status and other potential sources of evidence concerning Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, such as mobile facilities, are underway.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2003, Official Report, column 15, in what circumstances it would be inappropriate to publicise the identification of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 19 May 2003
	We will aim to release information concerning evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programmes when and where appropriate, as we did before the conflict began. In some circumstances it may be inappropriate to release certain elements of such evidence, for example details of sensitive sources covered by Exemptions 1, 4 or 14 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Iraq

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his US counterpart about the establishment of a UK base in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: I have regular discussions with my United States counterpart on matters relating to Iraq. As we have stated on many occasions, Coalition forces will remain in Iraq only as long as necessary to help the Iraqi people to build their own political institutions and reconstruct their country.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many arrests have been made in Iraq of suspected al-Qaeda (a) operatives and (b) sympathisers since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Adam Ingram: I am unaware of any evidence to suggest that persons detained by the United Kingdom Armed Forces in Iraq have taken part in al-Qaeda operations, or that they have directly assisted or supported such operations.
	Whether our coalition partners have such evidence in respect of persons they have detained is a matter for them.

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department is providing to members of the Territorial Army and Reserves who have lost their employment after being called up for Operation Telic; and how many such cases have been notified to his Department.

Lewis Moonie: All Reservists benefit from employment protection under the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985. Under the Act, an employer has an obligation to reinstate a Reservist his former job following demobilisation. If this is not reasonable or practicable, the Reservist must be reinstated on the most favourable terms of service available.
	The Reservists' call-out pack includes information which reservists are required to give to their employer. This sets out the employers' statutory obligations under the Act. Reservists also receive information about their rights under the Act with their call-out notice. Furthermore, during the process of demobilisation, they are given further advice regarding how to apply for reinstatement.
	To date, we are not aware of any Reservists who have been demobilised from Operation TELIC failing to be reinstated. Nor have there been any approaches to the Reinstatement Committees that are set up to rule on disputes between employers and returning reservists. We are aware of four Reservists who have lost their jobs while mobilised; however, in all these cases the employers are aware of their legal obligations and have given undertakings to discharge these.

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel serving on Operation Telic have received (a) LOA and (b) LSSA payments.

Lewis Moonie: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) the Amariyah Sera and Vaccine Plant, (b) the Al Dawrah Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Institute, (c) Project Baiji at Al Shargat and (laid before the House on 24th d) the Ibn Sia plant at Tarmizah, referred to in the document 'Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction' September 2002, have been inspected subsequent to the conflict.

Geoff Hoon: Investigations have begun into sites in Iraq which may be connected to programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction, including those referred to in the document Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction published on 24 September 2002. We do not plan to give details of investigations conducted at individual sites until investigations are complete, as investigations may require more than one visit and there is a potential for evidence to be disturbed. We will aim to release information concerning evidence of Iraqi WMD programmes when and where appropriate, as we did before the conflict began.

Iraq

Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) support and (b) guidance the Government has provided to the Iraq Medical Aid Organisation since that organisation's first meeting on 27 April.

Lewis Moonie: I am not aware of any Government support or guidance provided to the Iraq Medical Aid Organisation.

Iraq

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when NHS staff deployed as reservists in Iraq will return to this country.

Lewis Moonie: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced in a written statement on 30 April 2003 Official Report, columns 1516WS, we will continue to withdraw assets and personnel from the region where possible, but we will maintain an appropriate military presence for as long as is necessary. Therefore, while some Reservists will be demobilised now, others who have a role to play in the stabilisation and rebuilding of Iraq will remain in theatre to complete a six month deployment. As at 20 May 2003 some 1,149 Reservists serving on Operation TELIC had been demobilised. Specific figures for NHS employees are not available.

Nuclear Deterrence

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the defence policy of the UK is in relation to the maintenance of minimum nuclear deterrent against aggressors.

Geoff Hoon: The United Kingdom's nuclear weapons policy was set out in the Strategic Defence Review published in 1998. I refer my hon. Friend to Chapter Four and Supporting Essay Five in particular. Copies of the SDR are available in the Library of the House.

Officer Training Costs

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of training (a) an RAF officer, (b) an RN officer, (c) an Army officer and (d) an officer in the Royal Marines was in 200102; if he will break down the total cost into component parts; what estimate he has made of training costs in each case in 200203; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Training Review estimated the total annual resource cost of individual training for all services at some 4.2 billion. However, the Ministry of Defence currently has no system for costing the components of individual training Following the Defence Training Review, the recently appointed Director General Training and Education is developing a consistent methodology for costing training outputs across Defence to provide a common baseline from which to assess the resource costs consumed in delivering training.

Pay Scales

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what change there has been in the pay scales of (a) reservists and (b) regular service personnel since 1997.

Lewis Moonie: The pay scales for reservist and regular Service personnel have been uplifted each year since 1997 in accordance with the recommendations contained in the annual reports of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, copies of which may be found in the Libraries of both Houses. In addition, in April 2001 the Ministry of Defence introduced Pay 2000, a new incremental pay system designed to better meet the needs of Service personnel in the 21st century. With the exception of Service Medical and Dental Officers, who will remain on a separate discrete system, the last categories of reservist and regular Service personnel will have transferred to Pay 2000 by 1 October 2003.

Pilots

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) requirement and (b) strength of pilots for (i) the Sea Harrier and (ii) the GR7 is; and what his strategy is for meeting the requirement.

Lewis Moonie: The position as at 21 May 2003 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Aircraft Requirement Strength 
		
		
			 Sea harrier (42)72 52 
			 Harrier GR7 (43)69 61 
		
	
	(42) The Sea Harrier pilot requirement includes 'cockpit' and career broadening appointments in the Royal Navy, plus an appropriate training margin. Both front line squadrons are fully manned and are forecast to remain so for the foreseeable future.
	(43) The Harrier GR7 requirement comprises all wing commander, squadron leader and junior officer posts on front line squadrons, operational conversion units, operational evaluation units and wing appointments. In addition to established flying posts, fast jet pilots are required for instructional duties within the RAF's flying training system, overseas exchange posts, the RAF Aerobatics Team and a number of ground duties shared by the Flying Branch.
	The number of qualified RAF and RN pilots is expected to increase through successful training and positive retention incentives for existing aircrew including Financial Retention Incentives and the introduction of the Professional Aviator Pay spine. All front line fast jet squadrons are fully manned with gaps borne in training units.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Adam Ingram: Information on the Ministry of Defence's Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets is published on the Department's website. Information is also included in our annual Departmental Report and the Government's Expenditure Plans for Defence, which are widely available including in the Library of the House and on the Department's website.
	PSA targets are just one element of the information provided through these means and it is impossible to attribute a discrete cost for such publicity.

Redundancy Notices

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many redundancy notices have been issued to staff at West Freugh.

Lewis Moonie: QinetiQ has issued 100 compulsory redundancy notices to staff working at the West Freugh site; 13 of these staff have since been re-employed by QinetiQ to work in new roles at the site. In addition, 33 voluntary redundancy notices have been issued.

Royal Artillery AS90 Regiment

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the planned in-service date is for the first Royal Artillery AS90 regiment to be fully modernised and trained.

Adam Ingram: The AS90 self-propelled artillery system entered service in 1993 and is planned to be in-service until 2023. Over the next few years it will be the subject of a range of measures that will improve the system's reliability and sustainability and maintain its capability.

Royal Irish Regiment

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken to apply the Part Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations (NI) 2000 to part-time Royal Irish Regiment soldiers.

Lewis Moonie: Members of the R Irish Regiment (Home Service Part Time) have lodged applications with the Belfast industrial tribunal concerning the applicability of the Part Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations (NI) 2000 to their Terms of Service. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further until the tribunal has arrived at its judgment.

SARS

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what guidance he has given to service personnel on (a) HMS Liverpool and (b) other Royal Navy ships sailing to Singapore in relation to the SARS virus; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the risk to British Service personnel visiting Singapore and other areas in the Far East in relation to the SARS virus; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of members of Her Majesty's armed forces serving (a) on vessels and (b) at bases near outbreaks of SARS.

Lewis Moonie: All travel by the Ministry of Defence and Service personnel to areas where there is thought to be a risk of transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is being undertaken in accordance with current World Health Organisation and Department of Health advice. The risk of Service personnel contracting SARS during planned visits to Singapore and other areas in the Far East is currently assessed as very low. Guidance on SARS has been issued to all Service medical centres, and to all deployed formations and ships. This includes information on the symptoms of the disease, patient management and treatment, and preventative occupational health advice. Further measures are being put in place to reduce the risk.

Sea Cadet Groups

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 678W, on Trafalgar Day, by what means local sea cadet groups can obtain money his Department provides to the SCA.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence provides funds to pay for adult Sea Cadet staff, and their travelling expenses to undertake and deliver training. It also funds Sea Cadet Association (SCA) payment of a cash capitation grant to each unit, part of which covers SCA subscription. Individual units and cadets benefit from MOD funding through their use of the national training facility.

Service Personnel (Gulf)

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been put in place to provide support to the Service personnel who return from the Gulf suffering from (a) physical and (b) mental injury; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Armed forces personnel who return from the Gulf with physical or mental injury would receive appropriate medical treatment from within the Defence Medical Services or the NHS. Welfare support to injured personnel would be provided by the armed forces as necessary.
	I also refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 7 May 2003, Official Report, column 34WS, announcing plans for research into the physical and psychological health of personnel who deployed to the Gulf. Currently, there is no evidence of any health problems following this deployment, but research is being set in hand now, in the light of experience gained from the 199091 Gulf conflict, in case health concerns arise. I also announced that personnel who deployed and are concerned about possible exposure to depleted uranium, are entitled to a urine test, and that those who deployed and have concerns about their health generally, will be able to attend the Medical Assessment Programme, which we established following the 199091 Gulf conflict.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 May 2003, Official Report, column 453W.

Tasking and Co-ordinating Group

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what level his Department was represented on the Tasking and Co-ordinating Group in October 1987; which officers of which Army units attended; and how many times this body met between April and December 1987.

Lewis Moonie: I am withholding this information under Section la of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

Territorial Army

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role played by the TA training facility at Chilwell in briefing and preparing TA personnel for service in Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: All Regular Army Reservists and Territorial Army personnel called out under the Reserves Forces Act 1996 for Op TELIC 1, have been mobilised through the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre (RTMC) at Chilwell in Nottingham. To date, a total of 3,762 officers and soldiers have been processed for service in the Gulf.
	The briefing and preparation process at RTMC Chilwell provides reservists with medical and dental examinations, additional operation-specific equipment and information on pay and allowances.

Territorial Army

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of Altcar training camp in the training of Territorial Army staff dispatched to Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: No specific pre-deployment training was undertaken by Territorial Army personnel at Altcar training camp prior to mobilisation to the Gulf. A few individual members of the TA would, however, have undertaken routine training at the camp prior to deployment.

Territorial Army

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are made for debriefing Territorial Army personnel returning from Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: On arrival back in the United Kingdom, all Territorial Army (TA) personnel proceed to the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre (RTMC) at Chilwell in Nottingham. At RTMC, they receive a number of briefings, covering issues such as resuming civilian employment, returning issued equipment, and arranging pay, leave and allowances. In addition, they undergo a medical examination. The entire process of releasing TA personnel through RTMC should take no longer than 24 hours. They are then entitled to post-operational tour leave commensurate with the period of their mobilised service. Following release from RTMC, aftercare of TA personnel becomes the responsibility of their parent unit.

Territorial Army

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have applied to become members of the Territorial Army in each of the last 12 months; how many of the applicants were rejected, broken down by gender; and what the primary reasons for rejection were in each case.

Lewis Moonie: This information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Trained Personnel (Early Leavers)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many trained personnel have left each of the services by (a) premature early release and (b) retirement in each of the last five years.

Lewis Moonie: For the last five financial years, the trained outflow to civil life from the United Kingdom Regular forces 4 4 is as follows:
	
		Naval service
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 PVR(45) 1,920 1,870 1,910 1,490 2,190 
			 Retirements(46) 1,480 1,430 1,330 1,180 1,010 
			 Other(47) 660 760 870 830 780 
			 Total Trained Outflow 4,060 4,060 4,120 3,500 3,980 
		
	
	
		Army
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 PVR(45) 6,200 6,460 5,760 5,840 5,520 
			 Retirements(46) 2,020 2,190 2,140 2,050 2,010 
			 Other(47) 1,910 2,030 2,000 2,110 2,400 
			 Total Trained Outflow 10,130 10,670 9,900 10,000 9,940 
		
	
	
		Royal Air Force
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 PVR(45) 1,770 1,980 1,970 1,930 2,020 
			 Retirements(46) 1,970 1,920 1,630 1,740 1,600 
			 Other(47) 380 290 340 330 290 
			 Total Trained Outflow 4,120 4,200 3,940 4,000 3,910 
		
	
	4 4 UK Regular forces include both trained and untrained personnel. They exclude Gurkhas, full time Reserve Service personnel, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists and Naval Activated Reservists.
	(45) Figures are for the number leaving early on Premature Voluntary Retirement (Officers) and Premature Voluntary Release (Other Ranks).
	(46) Defined as personnel leaving at the end of an agreed period of service.
	(47) All other outflow of trained personnel. This includes redundancy, medical, death, disciplinary and services no longer required.
	Due to rounding methods used, the totals may not equal the sum of the parts.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Arrest and Trial (Waiting Times)

Tom Cox: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the average length of time between the arrest and the trial of a person in courts in the United Kingdom was in the last 12 months.

Yvette Cooper: Information is not available in the exact form requested and is instead provided from charge or laying of information, for defendants in indictable and triable either-way cases.
	In 2002, for cases tried in magistrates courts, the average time between charge or laying of information and start of trial was 46 days for England and Wales.
	In 2002, for those cases tried at the Crown Court, the average time taken for the initial period from charge or laying of information to committal for trial was 56 days for England and Wales. The average time taken from committal to start of trial in the Crown Court was 140 days in 2002 in England and Wales. These figures provide only a broad indication of the total time taken from charge or laying of information to start of trial for defendants who are tried in the Crown Court, as the data from magistrates courts and the Crown Court will not relate to exactly the same defendants.

CAFCASS

James Clappison: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans CAFCASS has to establish protocols on information sharing with the Department of Health, the Department for Education and Skills, the National Probation Service and the Police.

Rosie Winterton: CAFCASS is committed to working effectively with all agencies with responsibility for vulnerable children. Work has begun on protocols on information sharing with organisations including the Department of Health, the Department for Education and Skills, the National Probation Service and the Police. These are expected to be completed in April 2004.

CAFCASS

James Clappison: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many consultants have been recruited by CAFCASS over the last 12 months; and what their function was.

Rosie Winterton: One consultant, a Diversity Adviser, has been recruited.

CAFCASS

James Clappison: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many training initiatives are planned by CAFCASS over the next 12 months; and what effect these initiatives will have on (a) waiting lists and (b) time taken to complete reports.

Rosie Winterton: Training initiatives planned include; induction training for all new family court advisers and a practice development programme to enable practitioners to undertake both private and public law cases. There are also training programmes planned for managers in the regions and Wales. These initiatives will support other action to increase capacity and reduce delays and in partnership with the family justice system, reduce the length of care proceedings.

CAFCASS

James Clappison: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans CAFCASS has to employ additional managers at both regional and head office level; and what their function will be.

Rosie Winterton: CAFCASS carried out Service Reviews to assess staff capacity in terms of projected demand and equity of resources across the CAFCASS Regions and Wales. These identified the need for more managers, who are currently being put in place, in particular areas to support service delivery. Headquarters is also being strengthened to provide more effective management and development of the service in areas such as policy and procedure requirements and the training and development of practitioners.

Child Contact Centres

Julie Morgan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what funds are available for child contact centres in Wales in 200304.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not available centrally. Child Contact Centres in Wales will however benefit from training and quality assurance programmes that are being developed as part of a 2.5 million grant secured from the Children's Fund for 200304.

Civil Law Cases (Funding)

David Kidney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the Lord Chancellor will make it his policy to ring-fence a proportion of the legal aid budget for civil law cases.

Rosie Winterton: The priorities for legal aid expenditure are cases where the rights of citizens may be at risk, and cases involving social exclusion. Within these broad priorities, we have to judge which cases have the highest priority. The Lord Chancellor directs each year how much of the legal aid budget can be spent on the Community Legal Service. But ring-fencing this budget could, in certain circumstances, result in funds ceasing to be available within the overall legal aid budget for those cases which have the highest priority, for example, those where there is a risk of imprisonment. It would, therefore, be neither desirable nor possible (because of obligations under the Human Rights Act) to ring-fence one part of the legal aid budget.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, 22 January 2003, column 377W.

Efficiency Savings

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the target is for efficiency savings in 200304 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

Rosie Winterton: My Department's efficiency target for 200304 is part of our Public Service Agreement value for money target, which is a combined requirement to contribute:
	to the Criminal Justice System target to increase value for money by 3 per cent. per year, the contribution being the equivalent of 57 million a year in gains in efficiency or outcome; while across the Department, increasing efficiency by 2 per cent. a year including legal aid, being the equivalent of 60 million a year in gains in efficiency.

Family Law

Tony Wright: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment she has made of the effect of current fee levels on the quality of publicly-funded family law work.

Rosie Winterton: Solicitor firms or not-for-profit organisations which undertake publicly-funded family work must meet the Legal Services Commission's quality standard in order to undertake work. We have no evidence that those quality requirements are not currently met.
	There is no quality standard for barristers undertaking family work. Barristers are remunerated for work in family proceedings under the Family Graduated Fees scheme, which is currently under review. Although there is some evidence some senior counsel are not available to undertake the work at current remuneration levels, I am not aware of any case or cases where suitable representation has not been provided.

KPMG

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many contracts the Department has awarded to KPMG since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Prior to 1 July 1998, details of individual contracts were not maintained centrally and could be obtained now only at disproportionate cost.
	My Department awarded contracts to KPMG in the financial years as detailed in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 199899 0 
			 19992000 3 
			 200001 4 
			 200102 2 
			 200203 4 
			 2003 to date 1

Local Authority Funding

Iain Coleman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what specific or direct grants have been made by her Department to local authorities for 200304 (a) in England and (b) broken down by local authority, identifying whether the grant is (i) ring fenced, (ii) a specific formula grant, (iii) within aggregate external finance and (iv) outside aggregate external finance.

Yvette Cooper: My Department provides separate grants for revenue and capital (buildings and IT) to local authorities to meet 80 per cent. of Magistrates' courts costs. The remainder is met by the local authorities.
	Revenue grant is ringfenced within aggregate external finance. The capital grants are ringfenced but outside aggregate external finance.
	The total 200304 grants (at the 80 per cent. level) to be made available for Magistrates' courts in England are:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Revenue 309.9 
			 Building (48)14.6 
			 IT (48)6.0 
			   
			 Total grant 330.5 
		
	
	(48) Being at 80 per cent. this excludes Supplementary Credit Approval
	A breakdown of total payments to be made during 200304 cannot be provided as grants may be subject to change, and are paid on a quarterly basis throughout the year. Magistrates' courts are organised into 42 Committees and a lead paying authority acts on behalf of the various authorities covered by each Committee. Grant payments are made to this lead authority as detailed in the following table.
	This shows current total 200304 revenue grant allocation figures. A precise breakdown of capital figures is not yet available because the process of allocating them is underway.
	
		
		
			 Lead Authority Revenue paid to date Buildings paid to date 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Somerset 1,944,579 30,400 
			 Bedfordshire 730,598 20,160 
			 Buckinghamshire 2,515,231 725,112 
			 Cambridgeshire 951,673 48,605 
			 Cheshire 1,147,774 62,456 
			 Cleveland 985,173 155,248 
			 Cornwall 1,646,697 15,239 
			 Cumbria 937,753 0 
			 Derbyshire 1,163,212 0 
			 Dorset 787,287 11,488 
			 Durham 944,316 36,132 
			 East Sussex 1,799,000 132,307 
			 Essex 1,775,640 12,403 
			 Gloucestershire 833,951 17,759 
			 Hampshire 2,123,428 43,018 
			 Hereford and Worcester 1,700,251 9,200 
			 Hertfordshire 1,176,060 22,749 
			 Humberside 1,501,038 64,662 
			 Kent 1,712,538 63,082 
			 Lancashire 1,928,561 167,203 
			 Leicestershire 1,117,306 6,359 
			 Lincolnshire 794,483 15,557 
			 Norfolk 950,369 85,626 
			 North Yorkshire 948,350 126,228 
			 Northamptonshire 803,381 73,387 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne 2,267,362 89,120 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,831,597 16,845 
			 Staffordshire 1,286,249 12,656 
			 Suffolk 724,739 5,569 
			 Surrey 999,474 72,136 
			 Warwickshire 530,674 0 
			 Wiltshire 928,019 18,599 
			 Bolton 4,173,629 126,786 
			 Sefton 2,371,514 35,898 
			 Barnsley 1,810,818 56,616 
			 Birmingham 4,082,975 197,378 
			 Leeds 3,064,008 102,800 
			 GLMCA 15,000,000 80,000 
			
			 Total 56,989,707 2,678,782 
		
	
	Note
	All figures are in 80 per cent. grant terms
	No IT capital grant payments have yet been made this year

Ms Janet Hughes

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  if she will place in the Library a copy of the court order which authorised the writ of fieri facias sealed on 5 November 2002 in respect of Ms Janet Hughes and costs claimed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will place in the Library a copy of the court order made on 21 August and sealed on 22 August 2002 by Mr. Justice Stanley Burnton that Ms Janet Hughes pay costs to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the application of the Civil Procedure Rules by the Administrative Court Office to the case of Ms Janet Hughes in respect of costs claimed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Yvette Cooper: I have today placed in the House Library copies of the transcript of the judgment of Mr. Justice Stanley Burnton given on 21 August 2001, the court clerk's order dated 21 August 2001 and the costs assessment order of Mr. Justice Stanley Burnton made on 9 October 2001.
	At a hearing on 21 August 2001, the Judge indicated that he proposed to make an order for costs in favour of the defendants. The first defendant Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) was ordered to serve a Schedule of Costs on 22 August 2001 and it was directed that there would be either oral hearing or consideration on written submissions to be confirmed by the parties.
	On 9 October 2001, the hon. Mr. Justice Stanley Burnton, following consideration of the written representations lodged in August 2001 by the parties, assessed the costs for DEFRA and the National Assembly for Wales. On 5 November 2002, the Administrative Court Office sealed a Writ of Fieri Facias (a means by which a judgment creditor may enforce a judgment or order for the payment of money) on the application of DEFRA.
	The Administrative Court Office may exercise the jurisdiction, to issue a Writ of Fieri Facias in cases within its jurisdiction on application by a party to the case for enforcement of costs awarded by a Judge of the Administrative Court.
	The Administrative Court Office has informed Ms Hughes that if she is not content with the transcript and supporting orders in their present form, an amended order of 21 August would be issued by the Administrative Court Office confirming the order for costs in favour of the defendants.

Public Guardianship Office

Phil Sawford: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the average length of time taken by the Public Guardianship Office to determine a case was in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: In the last financial year, the Court of Protection made around 4,700 orders to appoint a receiver. Of these 40 per cent. (1,942) were made within two months of the date the papers were first received by the Public Guardianship Office (PGO). 86 per cent. (4,100) were made within six months of receipt of the papers.
	For the last financial year the total number of Enduring Powers of Attorneys registered was 13,670. The PGO returned and received 99 per cent. of correctly lodged cases within five days after the statutory waiting period of 35 days.

Public Guardianship Office

Phil Sawford: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases were handled by the Public Guardianship Office in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Figures are available from 1 April 2001 when the Public Guardianship Office was established. At the end of 2001, the Agency was protecting the affairs of 23,365 Protection Division clients; directly managing the affairs of 1,533 Receivership clients; and registered 11,405 Enduring Powers of Attorney. At the end of 2002 the figures were 24,007; 632; and 11,965 respectively.

Public Guardianship Office

Phil Sawford: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff were employed at the Public Guardianship Office in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Figures are available from 1 April 2001 when the Public Guardianship Office was established. At the end of the financial year 200102 351 permanent, and 187 agency staff were employed. At the end of the financial year 200203 the figures were 295 and 159 respectively.

Public Service Agreement

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (a) how many and (b) what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the Public Service Agreement targets of the Department.

Rosie Winterton: Progress on the Department's Public Service Agreement is monitored by the Department's Corporate Board, with a member of the Corporate Board responsible for each PSA target. They are supported on the management and monitoring of these PSAs by a small number of staff on each target and in their overall delivery by a wide variety of staff throughout the Department and its associated bodies.

Public Service Agreement

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Rosie Winterton: Information on Public Service Agreement targets is published on my Department's website (www.lcd.gov.uk). Information is also included in routine publications such as departmental reports, which involves no significant extra cost.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: My Department collates information on the number of days lost to sickness year on year but cannot report on how many days were attributable to long term absence. 20 working days is the review point for considering whether a medical referral is appropriate, following which each case is judged on its own merits.
	The number of days lost to sickness absence is collected, averaged to show working days lost per person per annum for each Department and is published annually by the Cabinet Office in Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service. The most recent of which (for calendar year 2001) was announced by ministerial statement on 19 December 2002, and copies placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The 1999, 2000 and 2001 reports are available on the Cabinet Office web site at: www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/civilservice/publications/sickness/index.htm.
	The figures for 2002 will be announced in due course. My Department is committed to managing sick absence effectively and to meeting the 2003 target for reducing sickness absence in our Service Delivery Agreement.

Unallocated Cases

James Clappison: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases in (a) private and (b) public law remained unallocated on (i) 31 December 2002 and (ii) 30 March 2003; and what the average time taken to complete reports was in both categories.

Rosie Winterton: The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) recorded 609 unallocated cases in public law nationally on 31 December 2002 and 651 unallocated on the 30 March 2003.
	In private law the figures were 1,248 and 1,243 respectively. CAFCASS does not keep data on the time taken to complete reports.

WALES

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps his Department is taking to address the issue of age discrimination.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave him on 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 751W.

Fallen Stock

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to ensure that farmers can dispose of fallen stock safely from May 2003 onwards.

Peter Hain: Responsibility for this matter rests in England with Defra, in Wales with the National Assembly for Wales, in Scotland with the Scottish Executive and in Northern Ireland with the Northern Ireland Office.

Correspondence

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters (a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary of State for Wales have received each month since 1999.

Peter Hain: holding answer 22 May 2003
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my predecessor gave to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 1 July 2002, Official Report, column 77W.
	Figures for later months are in the table:
	
		
			  Secretaryof State Under Secretaryof State Intra-governmental correspondence 
		
		
			 June 2002 19 1 419 
			 July 2002 18 8 659 
			 August 2002 19 4 264 
			 September 2002 13 3 391 
			 October 2002 24 1 505 
			 November 2002 30 0 570 
			 December 2002 21 1 408 
			 January 2003 36 4 435 
			 February 2003 28 5 540 
			 March 2003 37 8 627 
			 April 2003 15 0 469

Departmental Invoices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the occasions on which (a) his Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 200102.

Peter Hain: In 200102, 13 per cent. of Wales Office invoices (equating to 180 bills) were paid outside the target time.

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many officials in the Department serve on EU committees or working parties.

Peter Hain: None.

Exhibitions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list events at which his Department has exhibited in each of the last three years, stating for each (a) the purpose of exhibiting, (b) the cost of exhibiting and (c) the number of staff attending for the exhibition.

Peter Hain: None

External Reports

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list (a) the title and subject, (b) the total cost to his Department and (c) the commissioned author or organisation of each external report commissioned by his Department and its predecessor in each year since 1997.

Peter Hain: My Department was created in July 1999.
	It has commissioned one external reporta review of its staffing levels, which was carried out by Inbucon in 200102 at a cost of 19,000.

Information Technology

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his Department's (a) total managed expenditure, (b) total spending on Information Technology and (c) spending on Information Technology as a proportion of its total managed expenditure was in each financial year since 199798.

Peter Hain: My Department came into being on 1 July 1999. Total public spending by the Wales Office (exclusive of the grants it pays to the National Assembly for Wales) was 1.454 million in 19992000; 2.980 million in 200001; 2.539 million in 200102; and (provisional estimate) 4.127 million in 200203.
	A single PFI contract meets the IT needs of both the Wales Office and the National Assembly for Wales. In 200203 the Wales Office share of the contract was estimated to be some 192,000; an apportionment for earlier years is not readily available.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  how many sick days were lost over the last year by his Department through staff mental health problems;
	(2)  how many of his staff have taken sick leave due to mental health problems in the last year.

Peter Hain: In a Department of 50 staff I think it would be inappropriate to indicate any cases of sick leave. I have, therefore, concluded that release of the information requested would breach the rules of anonymity and confidentiality for the individuals concerned. I am therefore withholding the information under Exemption 12 (Privacy of an individual) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Ministerial Visits

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list (a) the location and (b) the purpose of each of his visits to North Wales since his appointment.

Peter Hain: holding answer 22 May 2003
	Since my appointment in October 2002, I have made four official visits to North Walesin November and December 2002 and March and May 2003.
	During these visits I have taken the opportunity to look at a wide range of issues and met with significant employers in the area including CP Pharmaceuticals, Wrexham and Airbus at Broughton.
	I have opened a local housing project in Llandudno, visited a business centre in Anglesey, the NEWI in Wrexham and met with the Chief Constable of the North Wales Police Force.
	I have also addressed a major housing conference, the Institute of Directors and most recently the Annual Conference of the Wales TUC.

National Minimum Wage

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the estimated cost is in 200304 to his Department of the increase in the national minimum wage from 4.20 per hour to 4.50 per hour.

Peter Hain: I refer to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) on 12 February 2003, Official Report, column 762W.

Objective 1

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs have been created by Objective 1 projects, broken down by constituency in Wales.

Peter Hain: Implementation of the structural funds programme in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government. However, I understand that the latest available figures for the Objective 1 programme for West Wales and the Valleys were issued in March. They show that approved projects were expected to create almost 40,000 gross new jobs in the coming years, with project sponsors reporting the creation of some 8,000 gross new jobs to date. A breakdown of these figures by constituency is not available and targets have not been set at this level.

Objective 1

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the mid-term target was for job creation in each constituency in Wales of the present Objective 1 projects.

Peter Hain: Implementation of the structural funds programme in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government. However, I understand that the latest available figures for the Objective 1 programme for West Wales and the Valleys were issued in March. They show that approved projects were expected to create almost 40,000 gross new jobs in the coming years. A breakdown of these figures by constituency is not available and targets have not been set at this level.

Part-time Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of the Part-time Workers Directive on staff in his Department.

Peter Hain: Part-time staff in my Department were already treated on a basis of equality with full-time workers, and so I do not expect them to be directly affected by the Directive.

Pensions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the (a) funded and (b) unfunded public sector pension schemes for which his Department, is responsible; when the last actuarial valuation was of each scheme; what the value was of the assets at the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; what deficit is disclosed by the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Peter Hain: My Department is responsible for no pension schemes. However all civil servants working in the Department have the option of joining the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Press Office

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed in his Department's press office; and how many were employed on 2 May 1997.

Peter Hain: There are three permanent posts in my Department's press office. This has remained unchanged since the Department's creation in July 1999.

Secondments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 9 April 2003, Official Report, column 286W, on secondments, what the staffing costs were to (a) the Wales Office and (b) the National Assembly for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office meets the salary and associated costs of all staff seconded or loaned to it.
	Annex 3 on page 27 of the Department's annual report (Cm 5928) shows its expenditure on running costs since it was created in July 1999.

Special Advisers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the salary bill was for special advisers in his Department in 200203; and what it is expected to be in 200304.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 8W.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff are employed by his Department.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the Wales Office Departmental Report (Cm 592, page 23). Copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

Staff Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in his Department receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002.

Peter Hain: Two members of staff are entitled to 'facility time' of up to eight days per year each for union business.

Value for Money

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the value for money of activities financed by the Wales Office in each of the last three years.

Peter Hain: My Department operates no major funding programmes; its expenditure is, therefore, limited to its own running costs, expenses incurred by the Lord Lieutenants in Wales, and the funding of the North Wales Child Abuse Tribunal.
	All expenditure is incurred with value for money considerations in mind and is subject to internal and external audit. In addition, a review of staffing levels was carried out in 200102.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Fur Products

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will discuss with EU colleagues action to ban the import, export, and sale of products made with cat and dog fur; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: It has not proved possible to determine either through trade statistics or through scientific testing, what level of imports of products containing domestic cat and dog fur, if any, is entering the UK. Therefore the Government does not consider a ban on imports to be proportionate to the scale of the problem at this time.
	The Government is in contact with other interested member states to discuss what action on this issue may be appropriate at EU level, and will report back to Parliament before the summer recess.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the bid price of (a) Pratt and Whitney Canada and (b) the Europrop consortium for the engine contract for the A400M aircraft is; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The engine bid prices are a commercial matter between Airbus Military and the two engine manufacturers concerned.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evaluation she has carried out of the costs and benefits to the UK economy of the proposed financial support to develop the A400M engine; and if she will publish the results.

Alan Johnson: HMG has, through DTI, indicated a willingness to provide a grant to Rolls Royce for its dual-use engine technology demonstration programmes. That grant is subject to the usual authorisation procedures, but I would expect the benefits to the UK economy to include an uplift in the competitiveness of the UK aerospace industry base through, for example, the introduction of new UK resident engine technology, an increase in the skills base at Rolls Royce and the development of new, or sustaining of existing, jobs in the company. Some of these issues will be commercially sensitive for the company and I therefore have no plans to make public the results of the evaluation.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has had with European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company officials and officials of its subsidiary companies concerning the project to build the A400M transportation aeroplane; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: DTI maintains close links with the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) on a range of UK and European aerospace and defence issues. Airbus (owned 80 per cent. by EADS and 20 per cent. by BAES) will be the builder of the A400M, and in that context, this Department has maintained a dialogue over a range of issues related to this programme and the benefits it brings for UK industry.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has had with the Euro-Prop International Consortium concerning the project to build the Airbus A400M aircraft; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: DTI has taken a close interest in UK industrial participation in the A400M programme and maintains close links with the main UK industrial stakeholders on a wide number of issues relating to this programme, including the engine selection. This includes Rolls Royce, who are part of the Euro-Prop International consortium.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has had with members of the Government of the United States of America concerning the project to build the Airbus A400M aircraft.

Alan Johnson: None.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has had with members of the Governments of (a) France, (b) Germany and (c) Spain concerning the project to build the Airbus A400M aircraft, with special reference to the decision by the UK Government to subsidise the development of an engine for the aircraft.

Alan Johnson: The DTI maintains a regular dialogue with the main governmental stakeholders in Airbus (France, Germany and Spain) on a wide range of issues relating to Airbus and its programmes. DTI officials have discussed the UK Government's willingness, subject to the usual authorisation procedures being met, to provide a grant for dual-use engine technology demonstration programmes relating to the engine for A400M with their German counterparts.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has had with Pratt and Whitney concerning the project to build the Airbus A400M aircraft.

Alan Johnson: None.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funds the Government has pledged to (a) Rolls-Royce UK and (b) other British engineering companies to assist in the development of an engine for the Airbus A400M aircraft; what payments have been (i) made and (ii) pledged to date to each company; when; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: HMG, through DTI, has indicated a willingness, subject to the usual authorisation procedures, to provide a grant to Rolls Royce for its dual use (civil/military) engine technology demonstration programmes.
	The size of any grant provided by the DTI for aeronautical research is determined when the proposal is agreed and will not exceed 50 per cent. of the total eligible technology demonstration programme costs. No payment has yet been made.

A400M

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations the Government have received regarding their financial support for the development of the A400M engine from World Trade Organisation partners; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: None.

African Trade

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what joint action has been taken by EU G8 members to address the impact of the CAP mid-term review on developing countries; what new initiatives to reduce the EU agricultural subsidies and improve market access to the EU for African countries have been proposed by EU G8 members; and which of these initiatives will be taken by the EU to the WTO Cancun Ministerial.

Patricia Hewitt: CAP reform proposals are formally discussed at the EU Agriculture Council where all EU G8 members play their full part. Market access, domestic and export subsidies are being addressed as part of the current WTO agriculture negotiations which are aimed at substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support.
	The EU already offers duty and quota free access to all Least Developed Countries (LDC), of which 34 are in Africa. The EU is currently negotiating new Economic Partnership Agreements with all ACP countries, including 14 non LDC ACP countries in Africa. The UK is pushing for the EU to offer ACP countries duty and quota free access to EU markets as a result of these negotiations.

African Trade

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new proposals have been made by G8 members to eliminate tariff escalation and peaks relating to goods of particular interest to Africa; and which of those proposals will be supported by the EU at the WTO Cancun Ministerial.

Patricia Hewitt: G8 members have made no new proposals to eliminate tariff escalation or tariff peaks on goods of particular interest to Africa in the G8. However, the impact of tariff escalation and peaks on Developing Countries is being discussed as part of the current Round of WTO agriculture negotiations currently taking place in Geneva, and G8 members are discussing trade and development issues in the run up to the next G8 summit at Evian in June.
	The EU wishes to see an outcome to the WTO agriculture negotiations which significantly reduces tariff escalation on products originating in and of particular interest to developing countries by reducing the level of relevant ad valorem and specific tariff protection. The EU has, also called for all developed and advanced developing countries to introduce duty and quota free access for all Least Developing Countries, as the EU has already done under Everything but Arms. The EU will pursue these aims at the next WTO Ministerial in Cancun.

Agricultural Holdings

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect on the status of partnerships in Scotland of the Agricultural Holdings Act (Scotland) 2003.

Melanie Johnson: The Agricultural Holdings Act 2003 will have no effect on the legal status of partnerships or limited partnerships in Scotland.

BAE Systems

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department seconded officials to the South African Government in order to assist in the negotiations of the industrial participation agreement between BAE Systems and the South African Government.

Alan Johnson: The Department has not seconded any DTI officials to the South African Government.

BAE Systems

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether commission payments made by British Aerospace in connection with the sale of defence equipment to Qatar were underwritten by the ECGD.

Patricia Hewitt: ECGD underwrote finance for the supply of goods and related services and did not directly underwrite the payment of commission. ECGD was made aware, however, that, as is not unusual for complex international contracts, in accordance with the terms of the main contract, British Aerospace was obliged to make payments from the contract price to commercial agents for assistance in bidding for and negotiating the contract.
	As part of their normal due diligence procedures ECGD underwriters obtained local legal advice that the payment of agent's commission was not illegal in Qatar and that the level of payment involved in this case was not out of scale with payments on other defence contracts in the region.

Broadband

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) homes and (b) businesses in Leeds have a broadband connection; whether all homes and businesses have access to a broadband connection; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The data for broadband take-up and availability are not available at the level of detail requested.
	At a national level the UK broadband market is making significant progress. On 22 May 2003 we announced that the UK had passed two million broadband subscribers across the UK and at the end of March 72 per cent. of the UK population had access to a terrestrial broadband service. By this measure, broadband availability is now equal with that in the USA and ahead of other major markets such as France and Italy.

Cambridge MIT Institute

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the NAO report on the operation of the Cambridge MIT Institute.

Patricia Hewitt: I understand that the Comptroller and Auditor General has written to the hon. Member about CMI. However, there have been no published findings by the National Audit Office on the Cambridge MIT Institute project

Cambridge MIT Institute

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library the independent review into the operation of the Cambridge MIT Institute commissioned by her Department in June 2001.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department commissioned the review to provide detailed advice and guidance to Ministers on a confidential basis. It was shared in confidence with the Board of the Cambridge MIT Institute Ltd. which is a company limited by guarantee.

Cambridge MIT Institute

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangement her Department has with the Cambridge MIT Institute (CMI) for evaluating the success of the CMI project on its termination in 2006.

Patricia Hewitt: The DTI's contract with CMI requires CMI to give a full account of its achievements against agreed/stated objectives. DTI will commission an independent review of the CMI project on its termination.

Cambridge MIT Institute

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the projects funded by the Cambridge MIT Institute (CMI) since it started operation.

Patricia Hewitt: Details of the projects funded by CMI are given on the CMI website, www.cambridge-mit.org, which provides information on the wide range of activities, projects and initiatives funded by the Board of CMI since it started operations in 2000.

Civil Contingencies

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what additional expenditure over and above that identified prior to 1 April 2002 (a) was spent in 200203 and (b) will be spent in 200304 on national and regional resilience work for essential services; whether arrangements exist to release expenditure during the current financial year for resilience projects under consideration for essential services; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 16 May 2003
	My Department received a supplementary 1.2 million in 200203 and will be given the same amount in 200304 and 200405 to help improve the resilience of essential services and overall contingency planning in line with Government policy.
	These funds have, and will be, allocated on the basis of risk assessments and consequence management.

Cleaner Fuel

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy on developing cleaner and greener fuel sources; and what support is available from her Department to achieve that end.

Brian Wilson: The Government's recent Energy White Paper firmly places the environment at the heart of our energy policy. Renewable (clean and green) energy plays a key part in our policy.
	To support the development and expansion of renewable technologies we have put in place a number of initiatives: the Renewables Obligation, which places an obligation on licensed electricity suppliers to source a percentage of supplies from renewable sources, to reach 10 per cent. by 2010; exemption from the Climate Change Levy for electricity generated by new renewable technologies; 348 million of capital grants and support for research, development and demonstration programmes. The Government in addition allocated a further 28 million to the Research Councils in last year's spending review to support research into sustainable energy.

Closed Consultation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many closed consultation exercises are awaiting a response from the Department of Trade and Industry; when responses are expected for each one; and what is the longest period a closed consultation has been awaiting a response.

Patricia Hewitt: There are 16 DTI consultations that are awaiting a response. Of these, five have closed within the last three weeks.

Coal Mining (Claims Handling Agreement)

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on discussions to reach agreement with coal mining related representatives on the terms of the Claims Handling Agreement.

Brian Wilson: Discussions between the Department and the claimants' group of solicitors to reach agreement with coal mining related representatives on the terms of the Claims Handling Agreement are drawing to a close. The coal mining related representatives have put forward a proposal under the terms of which they are prepared to agree to enter the scheme. The claimants' group of solicitors and the Departments legal advisors are currently engaged in an evaluation of the dust records at two of the coal mining related collieries, in order to compare dust exposure pre- and post-privatisation. Subject to the findings of this evaluation, and in addition, a reasonable procedure established for dealing with claims where Chronic Bronchitis has been diagnosed during a period of time where the coal mining related representatives are liable, the coal mining related representatives look set to agree to the Claims Handling Agreement as currently drafted.

Competitiveness Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the Competitiveness Council held on 19 May 2003; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I represented the United Kingdom at the Competitiveness Council on 19 May 2003.
	There was a presentation of the Commission's three-year Internal Market Strategy. For the UK, I welcomed the Strategy warmly whilst emphasising the relevance of improving competitiveness, the importance of better regulation, and member states' role on enforcement.
	The Commission presented its latest Single Market scoreboard, focusing on the increase in the transposition deficit, the rising number of infringement cases against the member states, and also warning that enlargement will exacerbate these difficulties. The UK maintained its satisfactory record.
	The Council adopted the directive revising standards for the essential requirements of metrological instruments.
	There was agreement on the regulation on drug precursors, which lay down reporting requirements by companies on movements of precursor chemicals for illicit drugs.
	There was agreement on the amendment of the directive on sweeteners for use in foodstuffs.
	The Council adopted the proposed detergents regulation, setting harmonised rules and testing conditions for the biodegradability of surfactants. I secured key UK objectives of reducing implementation costs for SMEs and ensuring commitment to reduce animal testing.
	Agreement was reached on the 26th amendment to the dangerous substances directive laying down harmonised market restrictions on nonylphenol and chromium VI in cement.
	There was a discussion on the sales promotion regulation. It concluded that in its present form agreement could not be reached, and work will therefore be taken forward under the Italian Presidency. I spoke, with strong support from the Commission, supporting the principle of mutual recognition.
	There was a discussion based on a Presidency questionnaire covering the consumer credit directive. This resulted in broad agreement on the Commission's objectives of a single market in consumer credit, a high level of consumer protection and the need to maintain progress on this revision of existing EU laws. Additionally, there was general agreement that flexibility was needed so as not to erode existing consumer protection measures indigenous to national markets. I spoke on the need to remove secured lending from the scope, due to the different risks associated with this far more complex form of lending.
	Agreement was not reached on the Takeovers directive, with four options being discussed; the directive has been passed back to officials for further work.
	There was a report of the informal meeting on tourism (Crete, 6 May 2003), from which a report will be published on the European tourism sector, to be presented to the Competitiveness Council in November.
	There was also a report from the informal meeting on consumer policy (Eretria, 8 May 2003). Conclusions on developing a knowledge base for consumer policy and the forthcoming Commission proposals on enforcement co-operation and unfair commercial practices, were noted without discussion.
	I spoke for the UK, with the support of France, warning of the impacts upon competitiveness of the proposed environmental liability directive.
	The Council also noted the Presidency's progress report on the Community Patent.

Copyright Directive

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the proposed implementation of the EU Copyright Directive.

Melanie Johnson: Much of what is required to comply this Directive is already provided by existing UK copyright law. We are in the process of finalising those changes to law that are needed, in the light of the many views expressed during the public consultation which concluded last autumn.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

Patricia Hewitt: The DTI do not have a central correspondence unit. However, during the last two years, 17 people have been employed handling Ministerial correspondence across individual Ministers' offices within my Department.

Departmental Understanding

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to reduce her Department's underspend in 200304 from that of 200203.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department is currently estimating an underspend in its Resource and Capital DEL of 216 million in 200203. This is less than 5 per cent. of total provision.
	Planned spending for 200304 is set out in the Department Report 2003 (Cm5916) published in May 2003.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

Patricia Hewitt: The cost incurred by the department for design and artwork of the DTI's Expenditure Plans Report in 2001 was 35,006. This figure includes the costs incurred in placing an electronic version of the report on the Departmental website. Other costs of printing and publication were met directly by the publisher, The Stationery Office Limited (TSO), and did not fall to the Government. TSO recoups these costs through sales and uses its commercial judgment as to the number of copies printed.

Domestic Energy

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of energy customers are in debt as a result of inaccurate bills; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: At December 2002, 1,076,860 electricity customers (4.7 per cent.) and 1,237,448 gas customers (6.1 per cent.) were repaying debt to their suppliers, via a debt repayment arrangement or a prepayment meter. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) does not hold information on what percentage of customers were in debt as a result of inaccurate bills.

Domestic Energy

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many (a) gas and (b) electricity customers were disconnected for debt in the last year; how long on average it took for them to be reconnected; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many (a) gas and (b) electricity customers in debt have been required to use pre-payment meters by energy companies to recover that debt; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: During 2002, 995 electricity and 21,780 gas customers had their supplies disconnected as a result of being in debt to their suppliers. 74 per cent. of electricity and 59 per cent. of gas customers were reconnected within 14 days. 157,114 electricity prepayment meters and 128,553 gas prepayment meters were installed to recover debt to suppliers.

Domestic Energy

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures her Department has taken to ensure that energy companies improve their billing and customer service systems; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: It is for the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM), the industry regulator, to work with the industry and Energywatch to secure improvements in billing and customer service systems. OFGEM may take regulatory action as appropriate.

E-mail

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what sanctions there are when spam e-mail is being sent to create or extend e-mail databases; and what controls there are on the means used to create e-mail databases which are sold.

Stephen Timms: There will be new controls on unsolicited direct marketing by e-mail under the Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications (Directive 2002/58/EC). The Government are currently consulting on draft implementing regulations for the Directive, including the sanctions available.
	The creation and sale of e-mail databases, which involve the processing of personal data, is already subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Efficiency Savings

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the target is for efficiency savings in 200304 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department's efficiency saving are currently measured against its Departmental Expenditure Limit for gross running costs. The Department's gross running costs provision for 200304 has assumed efficiency savings of 2.5 per cent. or 12.0 million in money terms.

Electronics Industry

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the support available for the electronics industry.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The Government is supporting the electronics industry in a number of ways to create the best possible environment for innovation and enterprise so that companies can increase productivity and move to higher value products and services. We have invested over 60 million to support collaborative RD, developed initiatives to stimulate use and uptake of information age technologies and will make an additional 100 million pa by 200506 to improve the skills base for electronics.
	The hon. Member will no doubt be aware of work underway to simplify business support to create more flexible products, building on what we know works well, to give businesses practical support. The electronics industry will of course benefit from these changes.

Energy Sources

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of electricity has been produced in the United Kingdom by (a) nuclear, (b) fossil fuels, (c) renewables and (d) alternative energy sources in each year since 1997.

Brian Wilson: The proportion of electricity supplied in the United Kingdom was as follows:
	
		Percentage of electricity supplied
		
			 Fuel/Year 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 (49)2002 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Nuclear 27 26 25 22 23 22 
			 Fossil fuels(50) 70 70 71 74 74 74 
			 Renewables(51) 2 2 3 3 2 3 
			 Other(51) 1 1 1 1 1 1 
		
	
	(49) Provisional.
	(50) Includes coal, oil and natural gas.
	(51) Includes hydro natural flow and net supply by pump storage stations.
	(52) Includes coke oven gas, blast furnace gas and waste products from chemical processes.
	Sources
	Energy Trends, Table 5.1; Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2002, Table 5.6

Energy Sources

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of potential employment opportunities in the United Kingdom in the production of alternative energy.

Brian Wilson: Renewables UK, a DTI unit set up last year, is currently active in an analysis of current UK capability across the various technologies in the renewable energy sector. This will identify current and potential future employment opportunities.
	This information will be part of a DTI report available in October 2003.

Energy Sources

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received concerning rural development opportunities in the UK associated with the development of alternative energy production.

Brian Wilson: I have received a number of written representations regarding rural development opportunities associated with the development of alternative energy production from organisations such as the Biofuels Alliance and their constituent member organisations (eg the Country Land and Business Association, and the National Farmers Union), and from BABFO. In addition British Biogen and the NFU were among those responding to the energy white paper consultation exercise. I plan to meet Mr. Ben Gill, the President of the National Farmers Union, on 16 July, to discuss rural development opportunities in the UK associated with the development of alternative energy production.

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list (a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee for the implementation of the series of guidelines for trans-European energy networks, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House.

Patricia Hewitt: The role and responsibilities of the EU committee for the implementation of the series of guidelines for trans-European energy networks (energy TENS) are set out in Article 9 of Decision No. 1254/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 1996 laying down a series of guidelines for trans-European energy networks and in Article 17 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2236/95 of 18 September 1995 laying down general rules for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks.
	In accordance with Article 9 of the EC Decision and Article 17 of the EC Council Regulation, the EU Committee for Financial Assistance for energy TENS is composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by a representative of the European Commission. An official from my Energy Directorate sits on the EU Committee for Financial Assistance for energy TENS. Since the start of January 2002, the Committee has met on one occasion, on 18 July 2002.
	The agenda items considered and decisions made by the Committee on 18 July 2002 concerned the selection of projects for receipt of energy TENS funding for the year 2002. Accountability and transparency to Parliament is ensured by Article 10 of Decision No. 1254/96/EC which requires the Commission to draw up a report on the implementation of the Decisionfor submission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions
	every two years.

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list (a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU advisory committee on protection against dumped imports, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House.

Patricia Hewitt: The anti-dumping Advisory Committee is established under the provisions of Article 133 (ex Article 113) of the EC Treaty and under Article 15 of Regulation 384/96
	The anti-dumping Advisory Committee has met on 15 occasions since the start of January 2002. In accordance with Regulation 384/96, Member States each appoint a representative at the committee. A Department of Trade and Industry official represents the UK.
	Reports on the activities of the Advisory Committee are available athttp://europa.eu.int/comm./trade/policy/dumping/stats.htm
	In accordance with a Council Decision on simplifying the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission, the Commission publishes an annual report on the working of committees. The report has been deposited in the Libraries of the Houses.

Euro

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions she has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when she expects to complete her analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) she and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests.

Patricia Hewitt: The Treasury's 18 supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May. My right hon. Friend's the Prime Minister and the Chancellor are holding meetings with Cabinet Members. There will be an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May followed by a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June.

Everything but Arms Agreement

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 8 May 2003, Official Report, column 804W, on the Everything but Arms Agreement, for what products imports have (a) grown and (b) declined from sub-Saharan African countries (i) covered by and (ii) not covered by the Everything but Arms Agreement since its implementation; by what margin; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: An answer to the question could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the relevant statistics are being compiled and will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was paid in commission covered by the ECGD on the sale of Hawk jets to South Africa; what percentage of the contract the commission represented; and where the place was to which payment was made.

Patricia Hewitt: ECGD's application process requires certain details of agents' commission to be disclosed to ECGD in order that it can follow its due diligence procedures. In this case such due diligence procedures were followed and no irregularities were detected. For reasons of commercial confidentiality specific details of the commission paid cannot be revealed.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of projects covered by the ECGD since September 2001 have proceeded on time and within cost.

Patricia Hewitt: For projects where the cover has been made available since September 2001, ECGD understands all are so far proceeding within the original cost. About 8 per cent. have required a time extension.
	It is not unusual for the complex projects which ECGD supports to depart from the original timetable envisaged in the contract. Cost overruns or contractual delays are matters primarily to be resolved between the contractual parties though ECGD may, as a result of such resolution, be asked to amend the terms of its support. ECGD does not, therefore, monitor this aspect across the whole range of its portfolio. However, ECGD does require notification of any such changes on individual cases, which might possibly affect the risk.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many projects have been subject to post-issue monitoring by the ECGD's Guarantee Mangement Branch since September 2001.

Patricia Hewitt: Since its establishment, the Branch has carried out post issue monitoring on about 200 project cases.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times the ECGD has refused cover because of (a) allegations, (b) suspicions and (c) evidence of corruption in the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: ECGD's procedures are designed to alert applicants to the seriousness of our commitment to combat bribery and corruption. There have been no occasions in the last five years where cover has had to be refused by ECGD due to allegations, suspicions or evidence of corruption.
	However we continue to maintain our vigilance over the life of all cases.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) visits to exporters and (b) site visits the ECGD's Internal Audit and Assurance Department made in each of the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: In the last five years ECGD's Internal Audit and Assurance Division has made 49 visits to exporters. The aim has been to review approximately 10 cases each year. This has also involved two project site visits overseas and a number of visits to manufacturing plants.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies accounts have been examined by the ECGD's Internal Audit and Assurance Department in the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: ECGD's Internal Audit and Assurance Division does not examine company accounts. The department has a Financial Analysis Unit, which is responsible for analysis of company accounts and assessing bank and corporate risk. This unit has assessed over 2,000 company accounts, mostly of overseas enterprises, in the last five years.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how may staff there are in the ECGD's Internal Audit and Assurance Department; and how many there were in 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: There were nine members of staff in the Internal Audit and Assurance Division in 1997. In recognition of the need for additional specialist knowledge and skills, the Internal Audit service is now provided by a combination of 6.5 members of staff and a contract with an external service provider.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last discussed the Export Credits Guarantee Department with the Secretary of State for International Development; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: DTI and ECGD officials are in regular contact with those of the Secretary of State for International Development on a range of issues of mutual interest relating to the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
	I last discussed ECGD with the then Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Ladywood (Clare Short) during a meeting on 10 July 2002.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish the (a) minutes and (b) papers of the Advisory Council on the Export Credits Guarantee.

Patricia Hewitt: Information about The Export Guarantees Advisory Council can be found in the public information section of the ECGD website, www.ecgd.gov.uk. This includes the minutes of previous meetings, and a list of members and their declared interests.
	It is often not possible to publish individual papers due to the contents being classed as information whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion, under Part II exemption 2 of The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. However, the Council often discusses papers that are subsequently published, for example the Report on the Comparison of Export Credit Agencies, and the report by NERA on Estimating the costs and benefits of ECGD.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on publishing environmental assessments created as a result of the procedures of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

Patricia Hewitt: ECGD's policy on publishing environmental assessments varies depending on the circumstances. Where ECGD has commissioned an environmental assessment its preparation would involve the participation of affected communities and the final version would be published.
	If ECGD requires an environmental assessment to be commissioned by an exporter or project sponsor it would again expect the report to be published. Occasionally environmental assessments commissioned by a third party are not published and ECGD may have no legal right to publish them. Under these circumstances the Department would consider commissioning an independent review of the environmental assessment and this review would be published.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many officials work in the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and if she will list their (a) term of office and (b) fields of expertise.

Patricia Hewitt: ECGD currently employs 397 staff, approximately 98 per cent of which are employed on permanent contracts. The remainder are on fixed term or casual contracts.
	Their fields of expertise include underwriting, financial policy and accounting, economic analysis, business principles, international relations, communications, legal matters, customer relations, guarantee management and recoveries, international debt, and others deemed necessary in the running of an Export Credit Agency.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what projects submitted to the Export Credits Guarantee Department have been (a) rejected and (b) modified following adverse findings in each year since the introduction of new procedures in 1999.

Patricia Hewitt: The information is as follows:
	(a) Since 1999 three projects have been rejected for sustainable development reasons, all on the grounds that they did not represent productive expenditure. One was a transport project in Asia and the other two were construction projects, one in Asia and one in Central America.
	(b) ECGD's Impact Questionnaire guidance notes set out the guidelines and standards that the Department expects projects to comply with. All projects have met or exceeded these requirements at the application stage. In the case of one project to date for which a guarantee has been issued, ECGD initiated significant improvements to the design and implementation.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the debt owed to the To ECGD by (a) Nigeria, (b) Indonesia, (c) The Philippines, (d) Angola, (e) Kenya, (f) Democratic Republic of Congo and (g) Republic of Congo; and if she will list (i) the projects and goods involved for each country's debt and (ii) the date on which the debts for each country was first incurred.

Patricia Hewitt: This question cannot be answered in full except at disproportionate cost.
	The debts owed to ECGD by these countries under Debt Rescheduling Agreements result, with the exception of Indonesia and Kenya, from contracts mostly entered into in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The number of companies insured was 859 and the number of claims paid in excess of 120,000. The goods exported ranged from consumer products to power projects and covered most of the UK's industrial sectors. The dates prior to which contracts had to be signed to be eligible for rescheduling together with the amounts outstanding under debt rescheduling agreements as at 31 March 2003 are as follows:
	
		
			 Country Amount Owed () Eligible Contract Date 
		
		
			 Nigeria 4,490,200,000 Pre 1 October 1983 
			 Indonesia 744,807,000 Pre 1 July 1997 
			 Philippines 12,738,000 Pre 1 April 1984 
			 Angola 135,346,000 Pre 31 December 1986 
			 Kenya 18,859,000 Pre 21 December 1991 
			 Democratic Republic of Congo 84,848,000 Pre 1 January 1976 
			 Republic of Congo 159,842 Pre 1 January 1986

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the members of her Advisory Council on the Export Credits Guarantee Department, their terms of office and their qualifications for membership.

Patricia Hewitt: Information about the Export Guarantees Advisory Council can be found in the Public Information section of the ECGD website (wwvv.ecgd.gov.uk), including a list of members and their declared interests.
	The members are:
	Chairman: Liz Airey(Director, Harrison Lovegrove Co Ltd.)
	John Armitt(Chief Executive Officer of Railtrack plc)
	John Elkington(Chairman, SustainAbility Ltd.)
	Professor Jonathan Kydd(Professor of Agricultural Development Economics, Imperial College)
	David McLachlan(Former Director of Group Credit Risk, Nat West Group)
	Professor Kate Phylaktis(Professor of International Finance, City University Business School)
	Martin Roberts(Former Director, Insurance Firms Division, Financial Services Authority)
	Anthony Shepherd(Chairman, The Alderley Group)
	Dr. Raj Thamotheram(Senior Advisor, Universities Superannuation Scheme)
	Sir Stephen Brown(Chief Executive, British Trade International)
	The 10 members of the EGAC are not paid, and serve three-year terms. They are chosen to provide a balance of expertise and experience on the specific areas within ECGD's Mission, for example environmental impacts, the needs of smaller exporters, and sustainable development.

Fair Trade

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department intends to have with her G8 counterparts regarding the dumping of subsidised goods upon developing countries.

Patricia Hewitt: G8 members are discussing trade and development issues in the run up to the next G8 summit at Evian in June. As part of these discussions, the UK is pushing for G8 members to reiterate their commitment to deliver for developing countries in the current Round of WTO negotiations. The Round includes agriculture negotiations aimed at reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support.

Fireworks

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with (a) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and (b) other departments regarding the enforcement of (i) current and (ii) potential future fireworks regulations; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: We have not had direct discussions with ODPM on enforcement of the existing Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997. We have had discussions with DEFRA, Home Office and the Health and Safety Executive. Also, officials from the Department participate in a Fireworks Enforcement Liaison Group set up by HSE. This group looks particularly at issues relating to the importation and illegal storage and sale of fireworks. The Liaison Group has representatives from HSE, DTI, the Fire Service, trading standards and local authorities.
	As to the Private Member's Bill currently before Parliament, the Department has had discussions with ODPM and other departments on issues relating to likely enforcement of future regulations, and generally on issues relating to noise, anti-social behaviour, public displays and licensing of firework sales.

Greenhouse Gases

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tonnes of (a) greenhouse gas emissions and (b) carbon were created by (i) energy projects, (ii) manufacturing projects and (iii) other projects supported by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in each of the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: The information is as follows:
	(i) Carbon dioxide is the only greenhouse gas for which ECGD has any information. For energy generation projects supported in each of the last five financial years, it is estimated that upon completion total annual CO2 and carbon emissions will be as shown in the table.
	
		Million
		
			 Tonnesper year 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203  
		
		
			 CO2 11.1 20.4 19.2 1 .2 1.2 
			 Carbon 3.0 5. 6 5.2 0.3 0.3 
		
	
	It has been assumed the plants operate for 60 per cent. of the time (5,256 hours per year). CO2 emissions are calculated using the following conversion factorsCoal: 0.687 tonnes of CO2 per MW per hour, Oil 0.417, Gas: 0.309. These are taken from The Greenhouse Gas Protocol website, www.ghgprotocol.org, and are the 1999 average values for power plants in Economies In Transition. These are the markets where ECGD most commonly provide guarantees.
	Carbon emissions are calculated by assuming that carbon makes up 27.3 per cent. of the atomic mass of CO2.
	(ii) and (iii) ECGD does not have information on the greenhouse gas or carbon emissions for manufacturing or other projects supported in the last five years.
	The Department only began systematically collecting this information for power generation projects in 2001 following the introduction of the Impact Questionnaire.

Hallmarks

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with the European Commission regarding the future status of the Scottish hallmark; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations she has received requesting (a) the abolition of the Scottish hallmark and (b) the closure of the Edinburgh Assay Office;
	(3)  what representations she has received about the importance of the Scottish hallmark to sales of items of precious metals in Scotland.

Melanie Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not received any representations requesting the abolition of the Scottish hallmark and the closure of the Edinburgh Assay Office nor has she had any discussions with the European Commission about the status of the Scottish hallmark.
	Department officials attended a meeting in Brussels in November 2002 at the request of the Danish Presidency to discuss the possibility of reviving the Draft EU Directive on the marking of previous metals. The Government has significant concerns about the Hallmarking Directive as currently drafted. There is little support among UK stakeholders for such a Directive, and there are no clear benefits to consumers, therefore we will not be supporting the draft Directive.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has received several representations about the importance of the Scottish hallmark to sales of items of precious metals in Scotland.

Hawk Contract

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has made to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the contract to supply Hawk trainer jets to the Royal Air Force; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The Department for Trade and Industry has consistently taken an interest in the industrial issues surrounding the supply of new Hawk 128 trainer jets to the Royal Air Force. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 12 May 2003 setting out some of these industrial points. However, this letter is confidential between Government Departments.

Icelandic Water Trawlermen Scheme

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received on the independent adjudication of the Compensation for Former Icelandic Water Trawlermen scheme; and what action she is taking on those representations.

Nigel Griffiths: I have been corresponding with Mr. Whybrew, the independent adjudicator for the scheme, on a number of issues he has raised regarding the classification of Icelandic water vessels for the purposes of the scheme. I also had a meeting with him on 20 May 2003 to discuss these issues and will be seeking independent legal advice from Counsel on the Department's view that independent contemporary document evidence of voyages to Icelandic waters is required in order to establish a vessel's status as an Icelandic water vessel. Mr. Whybrew will be consulted on the instructions to Counsel and will see his advice.

Industrial Injuries

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many medical examination appointments for vibration white finger special damages have been made in each of the next six months.

Brian Wilson: Aon Health Solutions who provide the medical assessments for services claims are making approximately 120 appointments each week at present. Appointments are not made more than two months in advance.

Industrial Injuries

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claimants there are for vibration white finger special damages in Wales, broken down by Parliamentary constituency; and what the timetable is for examining claimants in Wales.

Brian Wilson: The number of Vibration White Finger (VWF) Services claims submitted in Wales is 1,858. The constituency figures are:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Aberavon 50 
			 Amber Valley 107 
			 Blaeunau Gwent 191 
			 Brecon  Radnor 46 
			 Bridgend 31 
			 Caerphilly 141 
			 Cardiff North 2 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 83 
			 Ceredigon 5 
			 Clwyd West 1 
			 Cynon Valley 204 
			 Delyn 3 
			 Gower 41 
			 Islwyn 124 
			 Llanelli 71 
			 Merionnydd Nant Conwy 1 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 169 
			 Monmouth 4 
			 Montgomeryshire 1 
			 Neath 109 
			 Newport East 2 
			 Newport West 1 
			 Ogmore 200 
			 Pontypridd 70 
			 Rhondda 146 
			 Swansea East 9 
			 Swansea West 2 
			 Torfaen 37 
			 Vale of Clwyd 6 
			 Ynys Mon 1 
		
	
	Note:
	A Services claim is defined as all VWF claims where the Department's claim handlers, IRISC, have received a Services Claimant Questionnaire
	Aon Health Solutions started the VWF Services medical assessments at the beginning of April 2003. They have already begun to examine claimants in Wales.

Insurance Premiums

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from businesses about the effect on their competitiveness of increased insurance premiums.

Patricia Hewitt: I have received a number of representations from businesses, both directly and via business organisations, expressing concern about recent rises in insurance premiums. Some of these representations indicated that increased costs of insurance were not necessarily uniform across a particular trade, and that some businesses were therefore placed at a competitive disadvantage. A number of businesses commenting on the subject of employers' liability insurance, which is compulsory, expressed concern that 'cowboy' firms trading illegally without insurance were unfairly undercutting their prices.
	The Government takes these concerns very seriously, and will shortly be publishing its initial review of the employers' liability insurance system, which considers business concerns over this class of insurance in particular. We will also consider carefully the report of the Office of Fair Trading's fact-finding study of the liability insurance market, also due to be published shortly.

List Brokers

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what requirement there is for list brokers to divulge the source of the names and addresses they store; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 13 May 2003
	To the extent that they might process personal data, list brokers are subject to the Data Protection Act 1998.
	Under this Act, individuals are entitled to be informed by a data controller whether personal data of which they are the subject are being processed by, or on behalf of, that data controller. If so, they are entitled, among other things, to have communicated to them, in an intelligible form, any information available to the data controller as to the source of the data.

Millennium Workspace Initiative

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when each of the regional development agencies will begin to process applications for the Millennium Workspace Initiative grant; how much will be available under each regional development agency area; how long the grant will be available; and whether the Department will set the terms needed to receive the grant.

Alan Johnson: The concept of Millennium Workspace is specific to the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA). It builds on a number of previous initiatives including the Partnership Workspace Programme administered by the Rural Development Commission, before that body was wound up and many of its responsibilities taken over by the RDAs on their creation in 1999. To assist Millennium Workspace applicants, the SWRDA will shortly be issuing broad guidance for applications for funding under the Single Programme. The criteria in the guidance will be asking for regionally significant projects that will have a net impact on the region's economy.
	Further information about the Millennium Workspace can be obtained from the South West of England Regional Development Agency www.southwestrda.org.uk.

Ministerial Visits

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which (a) facilities converting landfill gas into electricity, (b) combined heat and power facilities, (c) energy for waste facilities, (d) pyrolysis facilities and (e) gasification facilities have been visited by the Minister of State for Energy and Construction, and when in the last two years.

Brian Wilson: On 31 January 2002, I visited Thetford Power Station, which is fuelled by poultry litter, and Elean Power Station near Ely, which is fuelled by straw. On 25 February 2003, I visited Arjo Wiggins's paper mill at Corpach, near Fort William, where my Department is funding the construction of a wood-fired combined heat and power generator. I plan to visit Shanks Group plc's new landfill gas power station at Calvert in Buckinghamshire.
	I also regularly have meetings with companies who own such facilities.

National Institute for Medical Research

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the proposal from the Medical Research Council to close the National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill and to transfer part of its research to Cambridge; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: No formal decision has been taken regarding the future of NIMR. The Medical Research Council is at present developing a long-term strategy for its major capital investments over the next 1015 years including the NIMR. This is an issue for the MRC however the Office of Science and Technology has been kept informed.
	DTI has received representations on this issue from the following people/groups who are opposed to the proposed changes:
	a letter signed by some of NIMR's staff (copies of which were sent to several people within DTI);
	a letter from a member of staff at NIMR which was forwarded to my noble Friend, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State by their MP; and
	a letter from an academic.

Nuclear Materials

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research into the future long-term management of plutonium has been conducted by her Department; and what representations have been received in the past six months on plutonium disposition options.

Brian Wilson: The Department has not conducted any research into the future long-term management of UK-owned civil plutonium, and has received no representations on disposition options for such material in the last six months.
	However, in collaboration with other interested Government Departments and Agencies, my Department is currently undertaking a study of the possible options for the future management of UK-owned civil plutonium.

Overseas Investment Insurance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what claims her Department has paid under Overseas Investment Insurance in connection with the Dabhol-Enron-Power Plant in Dublin.

Patricia Hewitt: ECGD has not paid claims on this case.

PFI (Company Profits)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to (a) investigate and publish the profits made by participating companies on PFI deals and (b) compare the costs of each PFI with the estimated costs if kept in the public sector after 10 years.

Patricia Hewitt: PFI is only pursued on the basis of an unambiguous value for money case, including an assessment of the financial cost of both the PFI and non-PFI procurement options over the whole life of the contract, and a rigorous competitive process.
	Company profits associated with PFI projects are a matter for the shareholders in each case and annual accounts will be deposited with Companies House where appropriate.

Post Office (PIN Pads)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the compliance of Post Office Ltd. with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 regarding PIN pads in Post Office branches; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what her estimate is of the cost of replacing all PIN pads in Post Office branches which are not compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions she has had with Post Office Ltd. to ensure that PIN pads were in place in every Post Office branch by 1 April 2003; and whether the issue of compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was discussed.

Stephen Timms: The accessibility of the Post Office card account, including issues around the use of PIN pads, is the responsibility for Post Office Ltd. The Department of Trade and Industry has not, therefore, sought its own advice on these issues.
	The Post Office is working to ensure their services are as accessible to as many customers as possible. In the short term, the Post Office intends to improve current PIN pads by fitting a guard over the buttons to help guide customers. I understand that this will be done as soon as possible. In the longer term, they intend to look at technological options to provide a secure alternative to PIN pads for people with disabilities. I have asked the Chief Executive of Post office Ltd. to write direct to the hon. Member with further details.

Post Office Account (Disabled People)

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what advice (a) her Department and (b) the Post Office has sought on the difficulties those suffering neurological conditions may have with collecting their benefits through the PIN key pad system; what measures will be taken to ensure that the PIN key pad system is accessible to those suffering neurological conditions; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what intermediate measures will be taken to ensure that disabled people collecting benefit through Post Office PIN key pads receive their benefit while the key pads are being adapted to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; what compensation will be given to those whose payment is delayed by the PIN key pad adjustments; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what estimate has been made of the cost of adapting the Post Office's PIN key pads to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; what adjustments will be necessary to ensure that the system complies with the Act; when the adjustments will be completed; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what representations she has received from groups that represent disabled people on the use of PIN key pads for people who occasionally ask someone else to collect their benefit; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what advice was sought on the compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 of the Post Office PIN key pad system for collecting benefit payments; what meetings have taken place with groups that represent disabled people about the suitability of the equipment; what advice the Department will seek on the compliance with the Act of adapted equipment; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 22 May 2003
	The payment of and access to benefits and pensions is the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions. The accessibility of the Post Office card account, including issues around the use of PIN pads, is the responsibility for Post Office Ltd. The Department of Trade and Industry has not, therefore, sought its own advice on these issues.
	The Post Office is working to ensure their services are as accessible to as many customers as possible. In the short term the Post Office intends to improve current PIN pads by fitting a guard over the buttons to help guide customers. I understand that this will be done as soon as possible. In the longer term they intend to look at technological options to provide a secure alternative to PIN pads for people with disabilities. I have asked the chief executive of Post Office Ltd to write direct to the hon. Member with further details.

Post Office Card Accounts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  which disability groups were consulted about the introduction of the Post Office card account;
	(2)  what the costs are of replacing the keypads for the Post Office card accounts in post offices.

Stephen Timms: The accessibility of the Post Office card account, including issues around the use of the PIN pads, is the responsibility of Post Office Ltd. I have asked the Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd. to write direct to the hon. Member.

Post Offices

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have closed under the Urban Reinvention programme; and how many such closures were opposed by Postwatch.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 21 May 2003
	I understand from Post Office Ltd. that, to the end of April 2003, 205 post offices had closed under the urban reinvention programme. I understand from Postwatch that to date they have opposed 23 of the 484 closure proposals which have been put out to public consultation and that, of those 484 proposals, 4 have been withdrawn and a further 9 have been modified in the light of comments made by Postwatch and others at that stage. In addition, at the advance notification to Postwatch stage, 18 closure proposals were withdrawn, and a further 24 modified before reaching public consultation.

Post Offices

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many proposed post office closures under the Urban Reinvention programme which were objected to by Postwatch did not take place.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 21 May 2003
	I understand from Post Office Ltd. that to date 4 post office closure proposals under the urban reinvention programme have been withdrawn in the light of representations, including objections from Postwatch, made during the public consultation process. I also understand from Postwatch that 18 closure proposals were withdrawn, and a further 24 modified, at the advance notification stage of the consultation process.

Precious Metals

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports she has received of the sale in the UK of under-carated gold items made in the USA; what action she will take; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not received any reports of the sale in the UK of under-carated gold items made in the USA.

Precious Metals

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have met representatives of (i) the Local Authorities Co-ordinating Office on Regulatory Services, (ii) the Trading Standards Institute and (iii) representatives of MSF/Amicus to discuss the EU draft directive on precious metals.

Melanie Johnson: DTI officials have met representatives from the Trading Standards Institute and will shortly be meeting those from the Local Authorities Coordinating Office on Regulatory Services. DTI officials have not met representatives from MSF/Amicus, but have been in regulator contact with them.

Precious Metals

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with representatives from other countries regarding the introduction of independent hallmarking of items made from precious metals; what advice was sought; and what advice she gave.

Melanie Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not had any discussions with representatives from other countries regarding the introduction of independent hallmarking of items made from precious metals.
	The UK operates a system of compulsory independent testing and marking of articles of precious metal, which provides a high level of consumer protection.

Productivity

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent research her Department has (a) carried out and (b) commissioned with regard to improving productivity in the United Kingdom; what their main findings were; and what discussions she has had with colleagues regarding implementing these findings.

Patricia Hewitt: Raising UK prosperity is the Government's central economic objective. In order to ensure that policy is evidence based, the DTI undertakes extensive research into the drivers of UK productivity performance.
	Recent examples of the DTFs own research include the Productivity and Competitiveness Indicators (2002) and a study into the competitiveness of UK textile industry (both available at www.dti. gov.uk/economics). The DTI also commissions external research, including Michael Porter's study of UK Competitiveness, and the international comparisons of productivity produced by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. The Government's Adding it up web-site (http://www.addingitup.gov.uk/epc/dtitlr.cfm_4) contains more information on the research underpinning productivity policy.
	The research shows that the UK needs to improve its performance in a range of areas, such as skills and innovation, if we are to narrow the productivity gap with our major competitors.
	DTI ministers and officials work across Government to develop evidence-based policies that improve the UK's productivity and competitiveness.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Patricia Hewitt: Information on DTI's Public Service Agreement targets and its performance against them is contained in existing publications such as the Departmental Report and the Autumn Performance Report, which the Department is required to publish annually, as well as in the information on the Department's activities which is routinely published on its website.
	For the cost of the Departmental Report, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gaveon 22 July 2002, Official Report, column 789W. TSO (The Stationery Office Limited) bore the costs of design and artwork for producing the 2002 Autumn Performance Report.

Redundant Buildings

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money was given out under the Redundant Building Grant scheme by each regional development agency in each year; and when each of the regional development agencies ceased to process grants for the Redundant Building Grant scheme.

Alan Johnson: The table following shows how much money was given out under the Redundant Building Grant (RBG) scheme from inception of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) in 1999.
	
		000
		
			 Regional Development Agency 19992000 200001 200102 200203 Year when RDA ceased to process RBG(53) 
		
		
			 Advantage West Midlands 39 89 310 (53)117 200203 
			 East of England Development Agency 244 324 153 135 (54) 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 214 162 (53)374 0 200102 
			 North West Development Agency 299 320 (53)310 0 200102 
			 One North East 216 153 136 (53)66 200203 
			 South East of England Development 147 105 117 113 (54) 
			 South West of England Regional Development Agency 809 906 (53)625 0 200002 
			 Yorkshire Forward 146 480 (53)624 33 200202 
			 London Development Agency 0 0 0 0 (53) 
			   
			 Total 2,114 2,539 2,649 464  
		
	
	(53) The RDAs are free to continue funding similar schemes through the Single Programme.
	(54) Continuing
	(55) Not applicable

Royal Mail

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) complaints and (b) compensation claims were made concerning lost items of mail in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 22 May 2003
	Complaints and compensation claims concerning lost items of mail are an operational matter for Royal Mail Group plc and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Rural Post Offices

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines she sets for the administration of funds allocated to Post Office Ltd to maintain the rural post office network.

Stephen Timms: Rural post offices across the UK will benefit from the 450 million package of financial support for the rural post office network that I announced on 2 December. The money will be administered by POL within the guidelines and parameters set by Government. There are three eligible areas of expenditure for the rural support payment.
	Money will be ring-fenced to maintain income levels for sub-postmasters, through maintenance of the assigned office payment.
	Money will also be available to meet the front line support services necessary for each and every rural post office to operateto meet IT operating costs, to provide them with cash and with forms, direct marketing, and the agents information help line.
	Additionally there will be a flexible fund to modernise service delivery and pilot innovative ways of delivering services.

Rural Proofing

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing in December 2001. I last met him in February this year.

Scottish Enterprise

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times she has met the Chairman of Scottish Enterprise in each of the last five years; and when her last meeting was.

Patricia Hewitt: I have not met the present Chairman of Scottish Enterprise, Sir Ian Robinson. My predecessor, the right hon. Member for North Tyneside, met Sir Ian Robinson twice and the past Chairman of Scottish Enterprise, Sir Ian Wood, three times. At the time of those meetings, however, neither gentleman held the post of Chairman of Scottish Enterprise.

Sellafield

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response she made to the requests made in March 2003 by Ireland's Environment Minister for details of security measures applied at Sellafield.

Brian Wilson: I responded to Martin Cullen, Ireland's Environment Minister's requests for information in my letter of 16 April 2003. For obvious reasons, I was not able to disclose details about the threats or about the measures taken to address them, but set out the issues in as much detail as possible. In my letter I expressed the hope that my reply helped to reassure people in Ireland that we are not complacent about the threat of terrorist attack and have taken appropriate steps to ensure the security and safety arrangements in place are robust.
	I also understand that Mr. Cullen has subsequently published the text of that letter in response to a recent parliamentary question in Ireland on this issue.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

Patricia Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his earlier question on this subject answered on 16 May 2003, Official Report, column 476W.

SMEs

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small and medium sized enterprises have been incorporated since 1997; and how many of these companies no longer trade owing to insolvency.

Patricia Hewitt: Companies House publishes data on new incorporations. However there is no information on the size breakdown of incorporations. The number of incorporations each financial year since 1997 is shown as follows.
	
		Number of Incorporations from Companies House Records
		
			 Financial year 000 
		
		
			 199798 205.3 
			 199899 215.2 
			 19992000 225.6 
			 200001 238.3 
			 200102 225.5 
			 Total 199702 1,109.9 
		
	
	Source
	Companies in 200102, Companies House
	Official insolvency statistics do not identify the year of incorporation of the insolvencies, nor categorise them according to business size

SMEs

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what actions she plans to take to address the difficulties faced by small and medium sized enterprises in obtaining public sector contracts identified by the Better Regulation Task Force and Small Business Council, with particular reference to (a) payment practices, (b) bundling or aggregation of contracts and framework agreements, (c) degree of openness about lower value contract opportunities and (d) pre-qualification processes that demand a large amount of information with each tender.

Nigel Griffiths: My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has agreed to provide a cross Government response on 4 August.

Solar Energy

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 3 April 2003, Official Report, columns 79394W, on solar energy, whether her Department's review of the solar PV Major Demonstration Programme will take place within the 200304 financial year; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: Yes, it is expected that the review of the first phase of the Major PV Demonstration Programme will take place within the 200304 financial year.

Staff Turnover

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of regional variations in staff turnover in her Department.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department has made no assessment of regional variations is staff turnover. However, such issues will be considered in preparing the DTI's pay and workforce strategy and in responding to Sir Michael Lyons' review on the relocation of civil service and other public sector workers.

State-owned Golden Shares

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what employment rights have been introduced since May 1997.

Alan Johnson: In its first term (19972001), the Government introduced a foundation of minimum standards in the workplace. Every employee now has, for example, the right to a minimum wage, paid holidays, rest breaks, time off for family emergencies, and a cap on the working week. Part-time workers have the same rights as their full-time colleagues. Since October 2002 there have also been specific protections for fixed- term employees not to be treated less favourably than comparable permanent employees on the grounds that their employment is for a fixed term. We have also reduced the qualifying period for unfair dismissal from two years to one year.
	The Government has strengthened trade union rights. For example, trade unions have the right to be recognised for collective bargaining purposes where a majority of the relevant workforce wants it. We have also placed union learning representatives on a statutory footing giving them clear time off rights. The law now enable workers to be accompanied at a disciplinary and grievance hearing by a trade union official or a fellow worker. To complement this right, the Employment Act 2002 introduced statutory grievance and disciplinary procedures, which will ensure that all employees have access to decent workplace procedures.
	In its second term the Government is building on all these measure, including a range of changes to the tax credit system such as the new Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit which will provide a simpler and more streamlined system to support families and to make work pay. Around six million families are expected to benefit from the new credits.
	The Government has also improved existing maternity rights and introduced paid paternity and adoption leave for the first time. For example the payment period of Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance has been extended to 26 weeks.
	The Government has recently laid before the House regulations to tackle discrimination in employment on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation and disability. In the Employment Act 2002, the Government also brought in measures to encourage the mutual resolution of workplace disputes.
	A recent key development was the introduction of the right for working parents with children under six, or disabled children under 18, to request flexible working. This new right builds on existing best practice and further enforces or aim to promote greater dialogue in the workplace to find flexible solutions which suit both employers and employees.

State-owned Golden Shares

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the purpose of state-owned golden shares in privatised industries.

Patricia Hewitt: Several Government departments currently hold special shares in a number of privatised industries. These shares were designed to protect what was perceived to be the public interest by the government of the time.

State-owned Golden Shares

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the recent ruling of the European Court of Justice on the legality of state-owned golden shares for (a) BAA, (b) National Grid, (c) Rolls Royce, (d) BAE Systems, (e) NATS, (f) British Energy and (g) the general economy.

Patricia Hewitt: Following the European Court of Justice ruling of 13 May 2003 on state-owned 'golden' shares, we are reviewing the situation in regard to special shares held by the Department of Trade and Industry (including those for National Grid, Rolls Royce, BAE Systems and British Energy) to ensure that such share holdings comply with EU law and continue to be in the public interest. State-owned shares in BAA and NATS are a matter for the Department for Transport.

Trade (Developing Countries)

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to promote the interests of developing countries in the world trade round.

Patricia Hewitt: Developing countries have a significant interest in the Doha Development Agenda. Halving protection in agriculture, industrial goods and services around the world could boost developing country incomes by around $150 billion a year. Substantial trade liberalisation could reduce the number of people living in poverty by over 300 million by 2015a significant contribution to reaching the UN's Millennium Development Goals.
	To achieve this we are working for a fairer international trading system for all WTO members with a particular emphasis on developing countries. In particular the Government is committed to working with our EU and other international partners to ensure that real and meaningful increases in market access in agriculture, and other areas of particular interest to developing countries, are agreed in the current WTO trade negotiations. At the same time the Government fully recognises that developing countries require trade related technical assistance and capacity building to increase their ability to participate effectively in the WTO. The Government has committed 45 million specifically for this and other trade-related initiatives since 1998.
	The Government recognises that trade reform can have adverse effects on particular groups particularly in the short run. The Government supports implementing policies in careful sequence so that developing countries efforts to liberalise trade maximise the potential benefits and minimise the costs of trade reform. The Government supports an approach to the current WTO negotiations that recognises that WTO members are at different stages of development and have different capacities to implement WTO rules. To help countries manage their commitments, we are pressing for Special and Differential Treatment provisions to be real and binding and for any new WTO rules to reflect countries' implementation capacities.

Trade Relations (North Korea)

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the trade relationship between the UK and North Korea.

Patricia Hewitt: We have full diplomatic relations with North Korea, which include trade relations. There is no objection to UK companies trading with North Korea, if they wish to do so. However, given the political situation arising from the nuclear issue, all trade promotion activity by HMG has been suspended. Normal commercial activity will resume once the nuclear issue has been resolved.

Utilities (Billing)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations her Department has received regarding the inconvenience and stress caused by inaccurate billing for gas and electricity provision.

Brian Wilson: The regulation of gas and electricity supply, including billing, is a matter for the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). I receive correspondence from Members of Parliament and the general public about a range of gas and electricity consumer issues, including billing. Gas and electricity suppliers should operate to the highest standards in all areas of their operations, including billing. If they do not, they may face regulatory action, as well as the loss of their customers to other suppliers.

Vibration White Finger

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she plans to hold further discussions with interested parties to resolve outstanding issues relating to Group Three claims for Vibration White Finger.

Brian Wilson: Since my meeting in February this year with interested parties on issues relating to disputed Group Three claims for Vibration White Finger, my officials have had a number of meetings with solicitors and union representatives. Discussions on these issues are ongoing.

Warranties (Electrical Goods)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to issue guidance on cooling down periods for warranties on electrical goods.

Melanie Johnson: The Competition Commission is currently carrying out an inquiry on the supply of extended warranties for domestic electrical goods. The Commission published its statement of hypothetical remedies on 20 May 2003. My hon. Friend will wait for the Commission's final report and final recommendations before deciding what action may be necessary.

Wind Farm, Dogger Bank

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the viability of establishing a wind farm on the Dogger Bank.

Brian Wilson: The Department of Trade and Industry has carried out a strategic environmental assessment of a number of offshore areas with potential for wind farm development. The Dogger Bank is outside the areas that have been assessed.

World Trade

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on supporting the expansion of the WTO agenda to include investment; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 14 May 2003
	The Government fully supports the European Union objectives to seek agreement and a mandate at the Fifth WTO Ministerial at Cancun in September to negotiate new WTO agreements on the four Singapore new issues, including a Trade and Investment Agreement. This was confirmed in the Ministerial conference that I attended in Doha and in the Ministerial declaration adopted by consensus at Doha on 14 November 2001.
	Developing Countries regularly emphasis their need for increased flows of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). However, smaller developing countries do not have the resources to negotiate numerous bilateral investment treaties. It is of course up to developing countries that are WTO members to decide if it is in their interests to sign an investment agreement. However we believe that a WTO multilateral investment framework will benefit developing countries not only because it would make negotiations easier but also because it form the basis of a level playing field for all WTO members. This in turn would help developing countries create the low risk, stable and predictable conditions necessary to attract a larger share of global investment flows. Within the overall agreement developing countries would be able to decide in which areas it is most appropriate for them to schedule commitments.
	When seeking agreement to launch negotiations in Cancun, we will ensure that the current proposals for these new issues offer a balanced and flexible approach. We want to make sure that any new obligations for WTO members allow them sufficient flexibility to pursue national development objectives. Any final agreement must include appropriate special and differential treatment for developing countries, and must also ensure that technical assistance and capacity building support is offered to help developing countries prepare for the post-Cancun negotiations.

World Trade Agreements

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department is taking to recognise the needs of (a) sub-Saharan African countries and (b) Indo-Chinese countries in world trade agreements.

Patricia Hewitt: We support an approach to the current WTO negotiations that recognises that WTO Members are at different stages of development and have different capacities to implement WTO rules. To help countries manage their commitments, we are pressing for Special and Differential Treatment provisions to be real and binding and for any new WTO rules to reflect countries' implementation capacities.
	The EU already offers duty and quota free access to all Least Developed Countries (LDC), of which 34 are in sub-Saharan Africa. The EU is currently negotiating new Economic Partnership Agreements with all ACP countries, including 14 non LDC ACP countries in Africa. The UK is pushing for the EU to offer ACP countries duty and quota free access to EU markets as a result of these negotiations.
	Cambodia and Laos as Laces already benefit from EBA and Vietnam receives access to EU under GSP. The UK is a strong supporter of these countries efforts to accede to the WTO. WTO members have recently agreed, following up the Doha Declaration, to simplify the accession route for LDCs. My Department continues to be actively involved in this process in consultation with DfID and other relevant Whitehall Departments.

HEALTH

Speech Therapists

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to increase the number of speech therapists.

John Hutton: The Government have already significantly increased the number of speech and language therapists and will continue to increase them further. As at September 2001, there were 5,680 speech and language therapists in the NHS17 per cent. more than in 1997.

Foundation Hospitals (Welsh Patients)

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with Secretaries in the National Assembly for Wales regarding the grant of foundation hospital status to hospitals serving Welsh patients.

John Hutton: I have had no recent discussions with on this matter. Cross border referrals to NHS foundation trusts will continue to work in the same way that referrals from NHS Commissioners to NHS trusts currently operate.

Smoking

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to combat (a) cancer, (b) cardiovascular disease and (c) other conditions linked to smoking.

Hazel Blears: To help prevent conditions linked to smoking we have established a comprehensive tobacco programme focussed on delivering a reduction in the number of smokers. As part of this, between April 1999 and December 2002 over 529,000 people set a quit date with the help of the national health service smoking cessation services.

Care Homes

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on care homes.

Jacqui Smith: Care homes can play an important role for older people. In recent years, the Government have provided substantial increases in the level of funding for social services which councils can use to increase fee levels if that is what is needed.
	We are also committed to improving the quality of care, and this is evident in the development of national minimum standards for care homes.

Ambulance Services

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on ambulance services.

David Lammy: The ambulance service in England has made real progress. Compared with 1997, trusts are responding more quickly to a significantly larger number of calls. Ambulances are better equipped and paramedics are better trained. The service still faces challenges, but with support and investment it will continue to succeed. The national average for category A response times has been over 75 per cent. since March 2003.

Waiting Lists

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's suspension policy with regard to waiting lists.

John Hutton: Patients can be suspended from the waiting list for medical reasons that make them unfit for treatment or due to social reasons such as family commitments, holidays or other reasons. The period of suspension is then subtracted from the patient's total waiting time.
	This guidance has been in place throughout the lifetime of this Government and was in place prior to the Government coming to power.

Patients (Treatment Abroad)

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients have been sent abroad for treatment in each of the last five years.

John Hutton: Patients can be referred for treatment abroad under the European Union-wide health care co-ordination regulations (the E112-scheme) or through direct referral from their national health service trust.
	The number of patients referred for treatment abroad under each of these systems between 1998 and 2002 are as follows:
	In 2002 there were 1,120 E112 referrals and 228 direct referrals.
	In 2001 there were 1,139 E112 referrals and no direct referrals.
	In 2000 there were 1,099 E112 referrals and no direct referrals.
	In 1999 there were 861 E112 referrals and no direct referrals.
	In 1998 there were 813 E112 referrals and no direct referrals.

Pregnant Mothers (Infections)

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about Group B streptococcus infections and pregnant mothers; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: A few representations have been received on the issue of screening. The Health Technology Assessment Programme is currently looking at evaluation of rapid testing for women in early labour. The National Screening Committee will then review the evidence for screening when the evaluation is complete. Until then it should not be offered to pregnant women except in the context of a research project approved by an ethics committee.

Dental Treatment

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps have been taken to secure access to NHS dental treatment in the Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 18 March at column 758. The Government are aware that Northumberland Care Trust has been concerned about access to NHS dentistry in Berwick-upon-Tweed. We approved funding for the Trust to appoint a part-time salaried dental practitioner to work in the Berwick Royal Infirmary to address these issues in the short term while longer-term solutions are considered and my officials are supporting the local NHS to recruit to the post.

Puchasing and Supply

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve purchasing and supply practices in hospitals and primary healthcare trusts.

John Hutton: The national health service Purchasing and Supply Agency is leading a major reorganisation across the service. A middle tier of supply management confederations, run locally by healthcare trusts, will improve performance of their non-pay spend. To date, there are six pilots and 18 other developing confederations.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes are planned for the greater use of local hospitals in the diagnosis and treatment of accident and emergency cases.

John Hutton: Changes to services are the responsibility of the local NHS. New guidance on service change, Keeping the NHS LocalA New Direction of Travel, was published on 14 February 2003. It sets out core principles for service change that the NHS must now follow. It challenges the view that 'biggest is best', and sets out a range of strategies and options to help the NHS keep services local.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment the Avon Ambulance trust has made of delays at accident and emergency departments since the Commission for Health Improvement Report in October 2002; what conclusions that assessment reached; and if he will place a copy of the assessment in the Library.

Hazel Blears: Avon Ambulance service national health service trust advises that it has refined its monitoring and reporting procedures to assess the causes and impact of delays in the transfer of care at local hospital accident and emergency departments. Working in close collaboration with the new emergency care networks, a number of improvements are now being implemented locally. Further information about the assessment can be obtained from the trust chief executive.

Agency Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds.

David Lammy: The Department does not hold information on the number of employees under contract from agencies supplying temporary staff.
	The amount spent on staff from these agencies for the period requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   
		
		
			  
			  
			 200102 7,589,927 
			 200203 9,917,896 
		
	
	Note:
	The accounts for 200203 are not final and are subject to some adjustment.

Asbestos-related Cancer Deaths

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the UK died from cancers caused by exposure to asbestos for each year since 1998.

Nick Brown: I have been asked to reply.
	In the three years 1998 to 2000 (the most recent year for which data are available), there were 1541, 1613 and 1628 deaths from the cancer mesothelioma in Great Britain. Mesothelioma is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. A further 1500 to 3000 lung cancer deaths per year are estimated also to be attributable to asbestos, but these cannot be individually distinguished from lung cancers due to other causes such as smoking.

Autism

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve services for sufferers of autistic spectrum disorders.

Jacqui Smith: Autism is one of the least understood but most frightening and difficult of conditions. People with autism lead isolated lives. Their social and communication difficulties place great stress on their families. It is important that we should all be sensitive to their needs.
	Children with autistic spectrum disorders will benefit from the programmes to improve services for disabled children. The Quality Protects (QP) programme to improve children's social services has made disabled children a priority area. From 200102 to 200304, 60 million from the children's services special grant has been earmarked for services for disabled children and their families15 million in 200102 and 200203 and 30 million in 200304. Last year's QP management action plans show that more family support services are being provided, particularly home based respite care and sitting services. The Carers Grant is increasing from 85 million this year to 185 million by 200506. Approximately 20 per cent. is spent on children's services, mainly to carers of disabled children to fund the provision of short term breaks. Direct payments were introduced in the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 and are increasing the flexibility and choice for parents in the provision of services.
	Disabled children are also a priority area within the development of the children's national service framework (NSF). NSFs were established to improve services through setting national standards to drive up quality and tackle existing variations in care. The Children's NSF will develop new national standards across the NHS, social services and interface with education. It will be about putting children and young people at the centre of their care. The NSF will include care pathways/exemplar diagrams illustrating optimum approaches to delivering services in a number of different areas. It will show how families should receive multi-agency early intervention and support based on their needs. One of the exemplars will be on services for children with autism.
	The Department of Health, in association with the Department for Education and Skills, published good practice guidance on autistic spectrum disorders last year. The guidance was primarily aimed at schools and local education authorities but was also relevant to health and social services providers. We will also be working with the Department for Education and Skills on the new Special Educational Needs Action Programme which, among other things, will promote effective approaches to teaching and learning for children with autism.
	People with autism are benefiting from funding of over 200,000 which the Department made through the Section 64 Scheme of Grants to Voluntary Organisations between 199899 and 200102. We are currently devoting a further 154,000 over three years to the National Autistic Society project Independence and Autism: Good Practice for Service Providers. This will support the development of new services to enable adults with autism or Asperger's Syndrome to live independently.
	The Valuing People White Paper directly covers every adult with autism who also has a learning disability. Implementation guidance, issued in August 2001, makes clear that adults with Asperger's Syndrome or higher functioning autism are not precluded from using learning disability services, where appropriate, and may require an assessment of their social functioning and communication skills in order to establish their level of need. By bringing together a wide range of local statutory agencies, Valuing People gives us the scope to improve opportunities and services for people across the autistic spectrum.
	Adults with autism will also gain, along with others, from the investment we are making to improve standards in health and social care services. In particular they will benefit from the NHS Plan, the mental health NSF, which covers the mental health needs of adults with autism, and Fair Access to Care Services.

Autism

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take measures to increase the number of centres which provide for the diagnosing and treating of autistic children who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: We recognise the problems that occur for children who suffer autistic spectrum disorders, and for their families. We will continue to work on what more we need to do to improve services for autistic children. We will also seek to ensure diagnosis and treatment provisions consistent with demand. Primary care trusts (PCT) have a pivotal role here, in ensuring an appropriate level of services to meet the health care demands of their local population. For those children with bowel symptoms suggestive of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), local paediatricians and paediatric gastroenterologists have the necessary expertise to investigate and manage IBD in children with, and without autism.
	The children's national service framework (NSF) will set new national standards which will help to ensure better access and smoother progression in the provision of services for children, from initial contact and diagnosis with the National Health Service, via a general practitioner surgery or NHS hospital. The NSF will include care pathways/exemplar diagrams illustrating optimum approaches to delivering services in a number of different areas and one of these will be on services for children with autism.

Caesarean Births

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many caesarean deliveries there have been in each of the last six years; and what percentage of overall births those figures represented in each year.

Jacqui Smith: The table shows estimated numbers and percentages of deliveries by caesarean section for years 199697 to 200102. The information is taken from the data published in national health service Maternity Statistics, England: 200102. The bulletin, number 2003/09, was published on 16 May 2003, and a copy has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department's website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0309.htm.
	
		Caesarean deliveries, NHS hospitals, England
		
			  Estimated numbers of caesarean deliveries Percentage of deliveries that were by caesarean 
		
		
			 200102 120,800 22.3 
			 200001 118,200 21.5 
			 19992000 116,500 20.6 
			 199899 110,300 19.1 
			 199798 106,500 18.2 
			 199899 101,100 17.0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health, Statistics Division 3GMaternity Hospital Episode Statistics

Cancer Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a teenage cancer unit which serves young people in (a) the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency, (b) Teesside and (c) the Government Office north east region; and if he will make a statement on national treatments and units for teenager cancer sufferers.

Jacqui Smith: The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle-upon-Tyne serves all teenagers diagnosed with cancer within the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency, Teesside and the north east region. However, patients may be referred elsewhere for radiotherapy.
	Action is being taken to help meet the specific needs of teenagers with cancer. We are providing funding through the national cancer research network to enable more teenage cancer patients to enter trials of the latest treatments. In addition, we are also looking at how teenagers can participate in the design of health services centred around their particular needs. This is being addressed through the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.
	The contribution of patients will also be reflected in the forthcoming national service framework (NSF) for children, young people and maternity services, which will drive up standards of care in all health and social care settings for all children and young people. The NSF will also inform guidance which the National Institute for Clinical Excellence is developing on children's and adolescent cancers.

Cancer Treatment (Waiting Times)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients waited more than (a) 12 and (b) 18 months for cancer treatment in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: The NHS Cancer Plan sets out our strategy to reduce waiting times for cancer patients. The ultimate goal is that no one should wait longer that one month from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment except for a good clinical reason or through patient choice; it is planned to achieve this by 2008. There is a series of staged milestones towards this goal: from 2001, new targets of a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment for breast cancer and a maximum one month from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for acute leukaemia, children's cancer and testicular cancer were introduced. From 2002, the target of a maximum wait of two months from urgent referral to treatment for breast cancer was introduced. By 2005, there will be targets of a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment and a maximum two month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment for all cancers. Data on current targets are published on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/cancerwaits.

Cardiology Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients waiting for heart operations for more than six months have been offered operations at alternative hospitals; and at which alternative hospitals.

Hazel Blears: At the last date for which provisional figures were available, of a total of 6,387 patients waiting more than six months for heart surgery, 4,675 were deemed clinically eligible for the option of treatment elsewhere. Of these, 4,532 made a choice, and of this number 2,082 opted for treatment at an alternative centre. No information is held centrally regarding numbers treated at individual alternative hospitals. Patients opting to travel for treatment are able to choose between any appropriate national health service facility with the spare capacity to treat them, or a range of private facilities in the United Kingdom and two facilities in Belgium.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what training the Chief Executive of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has undergone since her appointment;
	(2)  what recent training the Chief Executive of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has received (a) in dealing with complaints from and (b) on the role of Members.

Jacqui Smith: Any successful applicant for the post of chief executive of a Strategic Health Authority (SHA) will have been required to be able to demonstrate that they had achieved a level of competencies, abilities and experience appropriate to the post, as determined by a national recruitment and assessment process. All chief executives have access to a national leadership development programme.
	The Chief Executive of Cheshire and Merseyside SHA has not had any formal training on complaints handling or on the role of right hon. and hon. Members.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was claimed in expenses by the director of communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in the last financial year.

Jacqui Smith: The head of communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority claimed 3,719.04 in expenses during 200203.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place for reviewing the performance of the director of communications of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority.

Jacqui Smith: The head of communications at the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has regular reviews with his line manager and an annual performance review.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority on communications and publicity in the last financial year.

Jacqui Smith: The total expenditure of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority (CMSHA) on communications and publicity amounts to 65,847.43. Of this, 51,224.43 was for salaries, including on-call costs.
	The CMSHA spent 1,623 and the Cheshire and Merseyside work force development confederation spent 13,000 on communications and publicity.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff at the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority work on (a) communications strategy and (b) press relations.

Jacqui Smith: The Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority communications team has three full-time employees. The role covers communications strategy and press relations, briefing and patient and public involvement.
	In addition to this, the Cheshire and Merseyside work force development confederation has one full-time vacancy.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual salary is of the Director of Communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority.

Jacqui Smith: The annual salary of the Head of Communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority is 42,000.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training courses the Director of Communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has attended since his appointment.

Jacqui Smith: The Head of Communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority took up his post in October 2002. He has received personal and professional development through the national communications network and national patient and public involvement network. He has recently attended a course on performance development and review for managers.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what professional qualifications are held by the Director of Communications of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority.

Jacqui Smith: The Head of Communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has a BA (Hons) upper second in public administration and a postgraduate diploma in management studies.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people applied for the post of Director of Communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority; and how many were interviewed.

Jacqui Smith: A total of 28 applicants applied for the post of Head of Communications at the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority. From the 28 applicants, six people were short-listed for interview and four people attended the interview.

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place a copy of the job description of the director of communications of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in the Library.

Jacqui Smith: The job description for the head of communications at the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has been placed in the Library.

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list directives issued by his Department (a) in response to the Climbi Report and (b) following his statement to the House on 28 January.

Jacqui Smith: On 28 January, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to chief executives of councils with social services responsibility, national health service trusts, strategic health authorities and primary care trusts enclosing a checklist of 56 of the recommendations. Police, health and social services were asked to guarantee that within three months, these basic elements of good professional practice were in place. Copies of the letters are available in the Library.
	The report also highlighted that there was confusion about local guidance relating to child protection. My right hon. Friend announced he would publish shorter, clearer guidance which will reach every one of the one million professional staff dealing with the safeguarding of children.
	On 19 May, I published the booklet 'What To Do If You're Worried A Child Is Being Abused', under cover of a Health Service Circular/Local Authority Circular, asking chief executives of a range of health and other organisations, to ensure that the copies they receive are distributed to staff. Copies are available in the Library.
	We have also asked the Social Services Inspectorate and the Commission for Health Improvement, along with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to undertake joint inspections of the local services in North London with which Victoria came into contact.

Community Health Councils

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to invite community health councils to continue to operate after 31 August 2003 in those areas where the new Independent Patient Advocacy Service is not in place on 1 September 2003.

David Lammy: It is not the Government's intention to ask Community Health Councils to continue to provide complaints support after 31 August 2003.

Compulsory Treatment Orders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which the requirement for hospital admission of people made subject to compulsory treatment orders under the Mental Health Act 1983 has restricted the number of such orders made.

Jacqui Smith: No such assessment has been made. The Mental Health Act 1983 provides that people may be detained in hospital where the nature or degree of the mental disorder warrants it.
	Proposals under the Mental Health Bill would break the automatic link between using the powers and admission to hospital. Treatment in the community would provide a positive alternative for those patients who do not need to be detained in hospital and an opportunity to minimise the disruption to their lives. While the new legislation will lead to some change in the group of people treated, overall it is not the intention that more people will be subject to compulsion under the Bill. Investment under the NHS Plan and service improvements under the national service framework for mental health, such as assertive outreach, crisis resolution and early intervention, will help to provide more effective care and ensure that fewer people become so ill that they need compulsory treatment.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

David Lammy: The number of staff employed in the Department's ministerial correspondence unit was 18 for both years 200102 and 200203.

Dentistry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental patients have contracted notifiable diseases following treatment with inadequately sterilised instruments in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: We are not aware of any such incidents.

Dentistry

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on plans to establish further dental access centres in Portsmouth and South East Hampshire.

Hazel Blears: Dental access centres have been a centrally funded initiative, running as personal dental services pilots (PDS) under the NHS (Primary Care) Act 1997. There have been four waves of PDS, the last one in 2001.
	There are no plans for further waves of similar centrally funded PDS pilots. Legislation is currently before Parliament to effect far reaching reform of National Health Service dentistry. As part of this reform programme, resources currently held centrally to pay for primary care dentistry will become part of primary care trust (PCT) allocations and PCTs will be given:
	a duty to provide primary dental services to the extent they consider reasonable
	the powers to invest from their own resources into primary care dentistry.
	It will therefore be for each PCT to decide whether, in their local circumstances, further dental access centres are an appropriate response.

Dentistry

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of pregnant women received free dental treatment on the NHS in the North Shropshire constituency in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Lammy: 2,026 women who received dental treatment in the general dental service (GDS) in Shropshire Health Authority in the year to December 2002 were exempt from patient charges because they were pregnant.
	In addition 634 claims were made by women who received dental treatment in the personal dental service in the year to March 2003; the number of women these claims relate to could be slightly smaller than 634.
	There were 2,696 maternities in Shropshire in the year 2002.

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 606W, on departmental pay, if he will submit an action plan to the Cabinet Office on the subject and place a copy in the Library.

John Hutton: The Department's action plan has now been finalised. A copy has been placed in the Library.

Diabetes

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in introducing optomap to diabetic retinopathy screening procedures.

David Lammy: The potential role of scanning laser opthalmoscopes is being considered as part of the overall programme in support of the implementaion of diabetic retinopathy screening. Further evidence is awaited. Discussions will include the manufacturers of the optomap wide field laser scanning ophthalmoscope.

Digital Hearing Aids

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many digital hearing aids he estimates will be fitted as part of the Modernising Hearing Aid Services project each year (a) during the build-up to full implementation of the project and (b) when the project is fully operational.

Jacqui Smith: By the end of April 2003, 83,397 digital hearing aids had been issued as part of the Modernising Hearing Aid Services project. Officials of the Department of Health and the Royal National Institute of Deaf People estimate that between 165,000 and 170,000 such aids will be issued in 200304 and between 290,000 and 330,000 in 200405. These estimates are based on experience gained from the project so far and are necessarily provisional. From April 2005, all hearing aids fitted in England will be digital unless an analogue aid is more appropriate for clinical reasons or because the patient prefers it.

Domiciliary Oxygen

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he will announce the results of the review of domiciliary oxygen services initiated in March 2000;
	(2)  what conclusions he has reached concerning provision of ambulatory oxygen for domiciliary use;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of whether scope exists to improve the efficiency of domiciliary oxygen through the prescription of conserving devices.

David Lammy: The review of the domiciliary oxygen service is at an advanced stage. It has considered the provision of ambulatory oxygen for domiciliary use and the technologies available, such as conserving devices. We expect to announce our conclusions shortly.

Domiciliary Oxygen

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on the efficiency of domiciliary oxygen on the prescription of conserving drugs.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend, the Member for Milton Keynes South West (Dr. Phyllis Starkey) today.

Drug Addiction

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs have applied for specialist drug addiction training programmes in (a) 2002 and (b) to date in 2003.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 16 May 2003
	The Royal College of General Practitioners is delivering Department of Health-funded training in the form of a certificate programme on the Management of Drug Misuse in Primary Care.
	In 2002, 440 general practitioners attended the training, including 40 prison doctors.
	In 2003, just under 200 GPs attended the course, as it was agreed with the Department that around 150 places would be made available to other primary care professionals who work with drug users, including nurses, pharmacists, psychiatrists, and prison medical staff.

Drug Addiction

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the (a) availability and (b) effectiveness of treatment for drug addicts in Shropshire.

David Lammy: Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority report that drug misuse treatment services in Shropshire are being developed within the 'Models of Care' framework, which was published by the National Treatment Agency (NTA) in autumn 2002.
	The NTA also has responsibility for overseeing the pooled drug treatment budget and is monitoring all drug action teams to ensure that both the availability and effectiveness of treatment continues to improve.

Dysphasia

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of support services for patients suffering from dysphasia in the Altrincham and Sale area.

Jacqui Smith: Primary care trusts now have the responsibility of improving the health of the community, securing the provision of high quality services and integrating health and social care locally. They have the resources to commission services and to identify the number of professional staff that they need to deliver those services. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community including the provision of services for patients who have suffered a stroke.

Elective Ventilation

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the reasons which led to his Department issuing instructions to discontinue elective ventilation.

David Lammy: In 1994, the Department of Health received legal advice that an intervention not made with the patient's consent and not made in the patient's best interest was unlawful. This could leave health authorities, National Health Service trusts and individual clinicians open to the risk of prosecution for battery if the practice of elective ventilation was engaged in. In addition, there is a small risk of inducing a persistent vegetative state in some patients, which would clearly not be in their best interests.

Endoscopy Services

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of total funds available for cancer treatment was given to endoscopy services in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Shropshire in the last year for which figures are available.

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of total funds available for cancer treatment was given to endoscopy services in 200203, broken down by NHS trust; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Data on expenditure on endoscopy services is not collected centrally. There has been some central funding of endoscopy training. The NHS Cancer Plan made available 2.5 million over three years to address the shortage of trained personnel able to undertake endoscopic procedures and the variation in the existing education and training for both medical and non-medical endoscopists. We are also working with the north-east London workforce development confederation to commission national training to develop national health service capacity for the diagnostic tests needed to tackle bowel cancer.

Eye Tests

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what action he is taking to encourage parents of children under 16 to take their children for regular eye tests;
	(2)  what action his Department is taking to promote early eye screening and treatment to prevent deterioration of eye health among (a) children, (b) adults and (c) pensioners.

David Lammy: Free sight tests are available under the national health service to large parts of the population, including all those aged 60 and over, children, those aged 1618 in full-time education, people on benefits, those people at particular risk of developing eye disease and people who are registered blind or partially sighted or who have a complex spectacle prescription. Sight tests are the ideal opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including investigations for signs of disease. Those at risk of specific eye disease, for example, diabetic retinopathy, may be asked to attend regular screening. Overall, the number of NHS sight tests undertaken continues to increase. 9.8 million NHS sight tests were paid for by health authorities in 200102, an increase of 3 per cent. on 200001. 41 per cent. or four million of these sight tests were performed on patients aged 60 or over, a group most vulnerable to eye disease and 24 per cent. or 2.4 million on children.
	Information about the extensive arrangements for providing help with NHS optical services and other health costs are publicised in leaflet HC11 Are you entitled to help with health costs? Posters are also available for display in optical practices and hospital out-patient departments.
	In addition, we announced on 21 May that we are investing an additional 52 million to deliver shorter waiting times for cataract patients so that no patient will wait more than three months by December 2004, with most areas achieving this by the summer of 2004. We are also aiming to ensure that a minimum of 80 per cent. of people with diabetes are offered screening for the early detection and treatment, if needed, of diabetic eye disease, rising to 100 per cent. coverage by the end of 2007. This includes investment of 27 million for the NHS to purchase state of the art digital cameras and related screening equipment.
	We have promoted a system of child health and development checks. The programme of home visiting and community development makes an important contribution to many areas of health education, and fosters the early detection of problems, including those associated with eye sight in young, pre-school children. The programme also provides the opportunity to develop closer relationships between the family and the primary care team.
	Work on scoping the children's national service framework continues and the healthy child module will take into account views expressed in health for all children, as well as views expressed by the National Screening Committee (Children's Sub-Group) on the need for child eye screening.

Food Additives

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the maximum number of food additives in a product.

Hazel Blears: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that additives are only permitted in food if their use is technologically justified and independent experts consider them to be safe. The use of food additives is subject to strict legislative control across the European Union. Only those additives listed in the legislation may be used and then only in certain specified foods and, in a number of cases, subject to maximum permitted levels of use.
	Although there is no specific limit on the number of food additives that can be used in a product, their presence must be declared in the list of ingredients.

Food Additives

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to inform parents about additives in children's food;
	(2)  what material the Government uses to inform parents of additives in children's food; how it is distributed; and what the cost was of production.

Hazel Blears: The Food Standards Agency publishes a range of information on food additives on its website, including a list describing all currently permitted additives, details of the legislation in force and summaries of completed research and surveillance projects on additives. In addition the FSA's telephone inquiry point and website's 'Ask an expert' section answers questions on food additives and children. Any new advice for parents on food additives is issued by the FSA as a press release. Costs of providing information on food additives are borne predominantly within the overall budget of the FSA's website production team and cannot be separately identified.

Food Additives

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government has to ensure food products contain the name and number of additives in the list of ingredients.

Hazel Blears: European rules implemented here by the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 already require additives to be identified in the list of ingredients by their function, for example, preservative, colour, and either their specific name or serial number except where specific exemptions apply. There are no plans to require the name and the serial number to be given, although there is nothing to prevent this from being done voluntarily.

Fostering

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to encourage families to foster young people being looked after by local authorities.

Jacqui Smith: The Choice Protects Review is looking at a number of issues that affect the recruitment and retention of foster carers, including role and status, training, support and rewards. As part of the Choice Protects Review local authorities have been given a grant of 113 million over the next three years to improve services. For 200304, local authorities have been allocated 19.75 million to expand and strengthen their fostering services. Additionally, Fostering Network has been given a grant to develop good practice guidelines in recruitment.
	The Department has also worked closely with both the Inland Revenue and the Department for Work and Pensions to introduce an appropriate tax threshold for foster carers and extend home responsibilities protection for foster carers. Both changes were introduced at the beginning of April 2003 and should encourage recruitment and retention of foster carers.

Fostering

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Government plans to (a) professionalise and (b) remunerate foster carers.

Jacqui Smith: The Choice Protects Review is looking at a number of issues that affect foster carers, including role and status, training, support, rewards and issues surrounding recruitment and retention. As part of the Choice Protects Review, local authorities have been given a grant of 113 million over the next three years to improve services. For 200304, local authorities have been allocated 19.75 million to expand and strengthen their fostering services.
	There are no nationally agreed fostering allowances. Each local authority determines and pays its own rate of allowance. The Department has worked closely with both the Inland Revenue and the Department for Work and Pensions to introduce an appropriate tax threshold for foster carers and extend home responsibilities protection for foster carers. Both changes were introduced from April 2003.

Health Scrutiny

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on a chair of a council health scrutiny committee who is paid for this role also being a paid member of a health trust that he or she is scrutinising.

David Lammy: Committees must take steps to avoid any conflict of interest arising from members' involvement in the bodies or decisions that they are scrutinising. A councillor who is also a non-executive director of a National Health Service body is not excluded from membership of a committee's scrutiny of that NHS body. However, councillors in this position must follow the local authority protocols regarding participation where there is a risk of conflict of interest. Where such a risk is identified, they should consult their monitoring officer for advice on their involvement.

Health Scrutiny

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidance has been issued to local authorities to assist them to perform their health scrutiny role.

David Lammy: Overview and Scrutiny of Healthguidance was published on 20 May 2003. Copies are available in the Library.
	This guidance supports the local authority overview and scrutiny powers to review health services.

Health Services (Leeds)

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Accident and Emergency department attendances have occurred at (a) St James's hospital, Leeds and (b) Leeds General Infirmary in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: The information is not available on an individual hospital site basis, and figures are not available prior to 199899. Numbers of accident and emergency attendances at the Leeds Teaching hospitals national health service trust, which includes St James's hospital and the Leeds General Infirmary are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Period Total AE attendances 
		
		
			 200203 Quarter 3 56,034 
			 200203 Quarter 2 59,111 
			 200203 Quarter 1 59,964 
			 200102 236,026 
			 200001 236,589 
			 19992000 229,313 
			 199899 232,172

Hepatitis C

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the Action Plan for Hepatitis C.

Hazel Blears: We will be publishing an action plan to underpin implementation of the Hepatitis C Strategy for England in the next few months. This will form part of a blood-borne viruses action plan, as proposed in the Chief Medical Officer's infectious diseases strategy, Getting Ahead of the Curve.

Hospital Beds

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available in the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust in the last quarter for which figures are available; and how many were available in the preceding four quarters.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the right hon. Member to the response I gave him on 28 March 2003, Official Report, column 444W.

Hospital Food

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have privatised food providers; what measures are in place to ensure they provide good quality food; and what action can be taken against companies that fail to maintain standards.

David Lammy: The information requested is not currently collected centrally.
	Individual hospitals are responsible for monitoring the quality of food provided, including through regular surveys of patient satisfaction. Contracts with private companies providing catering services in the National Health Service should have clear procedures to be followed in the event that required standards are not achieved or maintained which may ultimately lead to termination of the contract.

Hospital Hygiene

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals have privatised cleaning services; and what measures are in place to ensure that cleaning companies keep high standards.

David Lammy: The information requested is not currently collected.
	Monitoring of cleaning standards on a day to day basis is the responsibility of individual National Health Service trusts and contracts with private companies providing cleaning services should have clear procedures to be followed in the event that required standards are not achieved.

Hospital Hygiene

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have failed to maintain cleaning standards in the last three years; whether they have privatised cleaning services; and what action is taken against companies that do not keep to high cleaning standards.

David Lammy: The first inspections of hospital cleanliness, undertaken by patient environment action teams in 2000, assessed 253 hospitals' environmental standards, including standards of cleanliness, as poor. Following the assessments in autumn 2001, this number reduced to nil and that position was maintained in 2002. Results for 2003 are not yet available.
	Monitoring of cleaning standards on a day-to-day basis is the responsibility of individual National Health Service trusts. Contracts with private companies providing cleaning services should have clear procedures to be followed in the event that required standards are not achieved, which may range from additional cleaning to termination of the contract.

Laming Report

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of the implementation of recommendations in the Laming Report for each local authority in England.

Jacqui Smith: 56 of the recommendations have been accepted as basic good practice, already set out in Government guidance. This good practice should already be in place in local authorities, health bodies and the police, and is covered within the budgets already allocated. The response to the Inquiry, covering all the other recommendations, will be made as part of the Green Paper on Children at Risk.

Local Authority Caterers (Salt)

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue advice to local authorities on guidelines in contacts issued to caterers concerning the levels of salt in foods prepared by them.

Hazel Blears: The Department and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are in discussion with the Joint Food Service Industry Group about the latest recommendations on salt intakes and how they can be taken on board by caterers in the public and private sector. I, together with the FSA, have also written jointly to a wide range of bodies responsible for public sector cateringincluding local authoritiesto draw their attention to the recommendations asking for them to be taken into account when tendering for processed food.

Lymphoedema

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance has been given on the use of manual lymphatic drainage in the treatment of lymphoedema;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer to the hon .Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak of 29th April 2003, Official Report, column 341W, on lymphoedema, what guidance (a) NICE and (b) other NHS advisory bodies give for the treatment of non-cancer related lymphoedema;
	(3)  what guidance is given to GPs on the treatment of non-cancer related lymphoedema;
	(4)  if manual lymphatic drainage is included in the training of physiotherapists.

Jacqui Smith: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has issued guidance on the use of drugs for non-Hodgkin's lynphoma and chronic myeloid leukaemia, but not on non-cancer related lymphoedema. We have offered no guidance to general practitioners or other heal professionals on the use of manual lymphatic drainage in the treatment of lymphoedema.
	The principles of manual lymphatic drainage are taught to physiotherapists as part of their training. The decision on whether to go on and specialise in this area is one for individual physiotherapists to make.
	There is currently no cure but, with appropriate treatment, lymphoedema can be very well managed in the national health service. These treatments consist of a combination of skin care, exercise, massage and compression garments or bandaging. In a few cases it is possible to help surgically, for example by transplanting lymph vessels.

ME

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recommendations have been made by the Chief Medical Officer to treat symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 19 May 2003
	The Chief Medical Officer has made no recommendations for treatment of this condition. We are, however, taking steps to improve services for patients with this condition. I refer the honourable Member to the response I gave him on Monday 19 May, Official Report, columns 61011W, for information on the research initiatives, which will be looking at the effectiveness of various treatments to improve services for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).
	I announced funding of 8.5 million on 12 May to develop services for people with CFS/ME. In July, health organisations will be invited to bid for development funds to set up centres of expertise to develop clinical care, support clinical research and expand education and training programmes for health care professionals and to establish satellite community multidisciplinary teams. The first phase of development will commence in April 2004.

ME

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to recruit specialists to whom GPs can refer patients with symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 19 May 2003
	Decisions on the staffing configuration for treating particular patient groups, including those with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), are best made at a local level.
	We are however, taking steps to improve services for patients with CFS/ME. I announced funding of 8.5 million on 12 May to develop services for people with CFS/ME.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) published a research strategy for CFS/ME on 1 May. The strategy will enable researchers and funders to develop research proposals on all aspects of this illness. It was developed by an independent research advisory group in response to a request from the Chief Medical Officer and was informed by contributions from patients, carers, charities, researchers and clinicians via a consultation exercise in summer 2002.
	The MRC has announced two initiatives in response to the strategy. One is a notice to the research community welcoming high quality proposals across the entire spectrum of CFS/ME research. The other is a scientific meeting to discuss the potential to use existing United Kingdom resources and infrastructures to undertake epidemiological studies in this country. In addition, the MRC has just announced funding, on 15 May 2003, for two trials that will look at the effectiveness of various treatments for CFS/ME. The results of these trials will help patients and their doctors to choose the best treatment. These complementary trials will assess a variety of treatments and in doing so will both help address important issues for those with CFS/ME.
	The first trial, known as PACEPacing, Activity and Cognitive behaviour therapy: a randomised Evaluationwill make the first assessment of a treatment choice popular with patients called Pacing. The second trial, known as FINEFatigue Intervention by Nurses Evaluationwill test two different treatments that are particularly suited to helping reach those who are too ill to attend a specialist clinic as patients will be treated by nurses in their own homes.

Meningitis

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department (a) spent in financial year 200203 and (b) has budgeted for the financial year 200304 on (i) research, (ii) vaccine and other preventive programmes and (iii) advice, information and publicity in respect of meningitis conditions.

Hazel Blears: The spend on advice, information, publicity and research in respect of all meningitis conditions for 200203 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 Advice, information and publicity 132,000 
			 Research 36,000 
		
	
	The budget for 200304 for advice, information, publicity and research is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   
		
		
			 Advice, information and publicity 439,000 
			 Research 20,000

Mental Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what programmes target depression in at-risk populations.

Jacqui Smith: The national service framework for mental health, published in September 2000 and the national suicide prevention strategy set out programmes of activity to reduce suicide.

Mental Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned on the link between depression and substance abuse in women.

Hazel Blears: The Department of Health has not recently commissioned any research on the link between depression and substance abuse in women, as the links between mental health problems and substance misuse are already well established.
	However, in 2002, the Department commissioned an evidence based document, 'Co-existing Problems of Mental Disorder and Substance Misuse (dual diagnosis)'. This is an information manual for the drugs and mental health field developed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Research Unit, which highlights the importance of partnership work between the two fields.
	In addition to this, The National Treatment Agency has developed the 'Models of Care' document, which is effectively a national service framework for substance misuse. 'Models of Care' alerts treatment agencies to the risk of women who have accessed treatment developing recurrent mental health problems including eating disorders, self-mutilation, suicide attempts and low self-esteem.

Mental Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what efforts are being made proactively to diagnose depression during pregnancy.

Jacqui Smith: General practitioners, health visitors and midwives work very closely with expectant mothers in the ante-natal phase. This will include discussions and assessment, in some cases of mood and feelings. Pregnant women who are already in contact with mental health services are monitored and treated for depression if necessary.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the Beating the Blues cognitive behaviour programme piloted in Hungerford for dealing with depression problems.

Jacqui Smith: No direct assessment has been made of the computerised cognitive behavioural treatment for depression called Beating the Blues. However, the Department of Health commissioned the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to appraise this and similar approaches. The report was published in October 2002 and is available on the NICE website at www.nice.org.uk. The appraisal will be reviewed again in due course.

Mental Health Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he plans to include a duty on primary care trusts to provide age-appropriate mental health services under the proposed Mental Health Bill;
	(2)  when he expects to publish the clauses relating to children for the proposed Mental Health Bill.

Jacqui Smith: The purpose of the proposed Mental Health Bill is to provide a legal framework for when someone can be treated for their mental disorder without consent. It is not about providing services or the standards of service provision. Therefore, it is not proposed to include a duty on primary care trusts to provide age-appropriate mental health services in the Bill.
	Reform of the legislation is only one strand of the Government's strategy. It should be seen alongside increased investment under the NHS Plan and modernisation of services under national service frameworks (NSFs) for standards of care for working-age adults with mental health problems.
	The first part of the NSF for children, young people and maternity services emphasises the need for age-appropriate care and environments for children and young people when in hospital. This will be a key theme throughout the full NSF to be published in the next year.
	An expert working group is developing a section of the NSF specifically on child and adolescent mental health services.
	Clauses relating to children for the proposed Mental Health Bill will be published when the full Bill is introduced in Parliament. The Bill will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

NHS Dentists

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there were per head of population in Essex in each year from 19902002.

David Lammy: The available information is for the general dental service (GDS).
	The information in the following table shows the number of GDS dentists per 100,000 population in the Essex area at September each year from 1990 to 2001 and at 31 December 2002. The number of dentists includes principals, assistants and vocational dental practitioners. Health authorities (HA) replaced the family health service authorities (FHSA) in 1996.
	
		General Dental Service: Number of Dentists per 100,000 population(56) in the Essex area, 19902002
		
			 Health authority Number of dentists per100,000 population 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Essex SHA  
			 31 December 2002 33 
			  
			  North Essex and South Essex HA 
			 30 September 2001 43 
			 30 September 2000 43 
			 30 September 1999 41 
			 30 September 1998 40 
			 30 September 1997 39 
			 30 September 1996 37 
			  
			 Essex FHSA  
			 30 September 1995 37 
			 30 September 1994 37 
			 30 September 1993 37 
			 30 September 1992 35 
			 30 September 1991 35 
			 30 September 1990 34 
		
	
	(56) 19902001 ONS mid year population estimates based on the 1991 census.
	Note:
	2002 GP resident relevant population estimates constrained by the 2001 census
	Patients who have difficulty accessing a high street dentist can receive national health service dental care from the community dental service (CDS). There is the equivalent of 13.5 full-time dentists working in the CDS in Essex.
	There is a personal dental services pilot treating children in North Essex. Four dentists, four nurses, an oral health educator and a therapist work in the surgery.

NHS Dentists

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population in Essex has been registered with an NHS dentist in each of the last 12 years.

David Lammy: At 31 December 2002, 48.4 per cent. of the population of Essex Strategic Health Authority was registered with a general dental service (GDS) dentist. The information in the following table shows the percentage of the population registered with a GDS dentist in the Essex area, at September each year from 1991 to 2001.
	
		General Dental Service: Percentage of the population registered with a GDS dentist in Essex, 19912001
		
			  Percentage of population registered with a GDS dentist 
		
		
			  North Essex and South Essex HA 
			 2001 59.0 
			 2000 60.3 
			 1999 59.0 
			 1998 57.3 
			 1997 64.2 
			 1996 65.1 
			 Essex FHSA 
			 1995 66.5 
			 1994 69.5 
			 1993 70.0 
			 1992 68.6 
			 1991 51.0 
		
	
	Note:
	19912001 ONS mid year population estimates based on the 1991 census.
	Registrations lapse if patients do not return to their dentist within 15 months and so the registration figures exclude patients who have not been to their GDS dentist within the past 15 months. Also excluded from the figures are patients who receive dental treatment from other national health service dental services including dental access centres.
	Registration rates from 1998 onwards are not comparable with earlier rates because of reduction in registration periods to 15 months.
	Registrations began in October 1990 and the September 1991 figure is low because registration numbers were building up.
	Patients who have difficulty accessing a high street dentist can receive NHS dental care from the community dental service.
	In addition, there is a personal dental services pilot in North Essex treating children only. 2,848 children were seen in the pilot in 200203.

NHS Dentists

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were registered with NHS dentists in Hampshire in each year from 1997 to 2002.

Hazel Blears: The table shows the number of registrations in the Hampshire area at 30 September in each of the years 1997 to 2002. The Hampshire area covers North and Mid Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire and Southampton and South West Hampshire
	Registrations lapse if patients do not return to their dentists within 15 months. Registrations will exclude patients who haven't been to their general dental service (GDS) dentist within the past 15 months and patients who receive dental treatment from other National Health Service dental services.
	The September 1997 figure is not comparable with the later figures because of change in the registration periods for adults and children. The figures do not include patients attending the dental access centres which opened during the period and whose patients are not registered.
	Patients wishing to register with a GDS dentist can obtain details of dentists accepting new patients by contacting NHS Direct.
	
		General Dental Service: Number of registrations in Hampshire area at 30 September1997 to 2002
		
			 At 30 September Number of patients registered (thousands) 
		
		
			 1997 951 
			 1998 842 
			 1999 823 
			 2000 824 
			 2001 818 
			 2002 801

NHS Dentists

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists treated NHS patients in Hampshire in each year from 1997 to 2002.

Hazel Blears: The table shows the number of general dental service (CDS) dentists in Hampshire area at 30 September in each of the years 1997 to 2002. The Hampshire area covers North and Mid Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire and Southampton and South West Hampshire.
	The number of dentist includes principals, assistants and vocational dental practitioners.
	
		General Dental Service: Number of dentists, at 30 September 1997 to 2002 Hampsire (including Isle of Wight)
		
			 At 30 September Number of GDS dentists 
		
		
			 1997 569 
			 1998 601 
			 1999 623 
			 2000 628 
			 2001 644 
			 2002 647 
		
	
	These figures are on a headcount basis rather than whole time equivalent (wte) basis and therefore take no account of part time working. In the GDS, dentists can vary the amount of National Health Service work they do; many also do some private work.

NHS Dentists

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the population of Leeds, West constituency was registered with a NHS dentist in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		General Dental Service: percentage of the population registered with a NHS dentist, 1998 to 2002, in Leeds Health Authority
		
			 At 30 September Percentage population registered with a GDS dentist 
		
		
			 1998 53.0 
			 1999 52.5 
			 2000 52.5 
			 2001 51.5 
			 2002 50.4 
		
	
	Note:
	ONS mid-year population estimates based on the 2001 census.
	Source:
	Department of Health.
	At 28 February 2003, 53.5 per cent. of the population for Leeds West Primary Care Trust (PCT) was registered with a general dentist service dentist.

Overview and Scrutiny Committees

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to issue guidance for setting up local authority health OSC committees.

David Lammy: Overview and Scrutiny of Health  Guidance was published on 20 May 2003. Copies have been placed in the Library.

Prescriptions

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to permit pharmacists to supply prescriptions in quantities of 28 pills when 30 have been prescribed.

David Lammy: We have made clear we will look at allowing the 'rounding' of prescriptions for 28 or 30 doses and multiples thereof, to increase the number of prescriptions which can be dispensed in whole patient packs. We will discuss this with the pharmaceutical services negotiating committee in the context of our overall desire to simplify the rules governing their reimbursement for medicines supplied on the national health service.

Prescriptions

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of the disposal of broken patient packs by pharmacists in each of the last three years.

David Lammy: Information is available only about the total cost of broken bulk payments. These are payments made to pharmacies for medicines which remain unused six months after the pharmacy has purchased the minimum quantity necessary to dispense a prescription. The available information is shown in the table.
	
		 million
		
			  Resource figure Cash figure 
		
		
			 200203 5.4 5.3 
			 200102 5.6 5.6 
			 200001 n/a 5.9

Prescriptions

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential of bar coding medicine packs for transfer to prescription forms.

David Lammy: The Prescription Pricing Authority operates high-speed machines to count and number prescription forms as they are received. This is necessary in order to calculate advance payments to community pharmacies and to ensure that any individual prescription form can be retrieved from storage if required, for example, for the purposes of investigating fraud. These machines could not operate if bar codes from medicine packs were transferred to prescription forms.

Primary Care Trusts

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what annual salaries are paid to the senior officers of the primary care trusts serving East Lancashire.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the salaries of individual primary care trust managers is not available centrally.
	PCTs are required to disclose in their published accounts details of the remuneration of senior managers.

Prison Doctors

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prison doctors are employed full-time in prisons in England and Wales.

Jacqui Smith: As of 1 May 2003, there were 65 full-time prison doctors employed by the Prison Service in England and Wales.
	Although the majority of other doctors working in prisons would be employed by the national health service, detailed information is not held centrally.

Public Bodies

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 645W, on public bodies, whether estimates of costing have been undertaken on the reorganisation from the Commission for Health Improvement and the National Care Standards Commission to the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the Social Services Inspectorate; and if he will place copies of the estimates in the Library.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the explanatory notes in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, which is available in the Library. These estimate the total cost of establishing the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the Commission for Social Care Inspection as being in the region of 22 million.

Secondments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 292W, on secondments, how many individuals have been seconded to his Department from the private sector since 1997, in each case listing (a) from which organisation and (b) the dates of the secondment.

David Lammy: The Department has no records of any secondments from the private sector.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

David Lammy: We have defined long-term sick leave to beabsence from work due to sickness for a period of 90 days and over.
	The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Financial Year (57)Number  
		
		
			 200102 47 
			 200203 22 
		
	
	(57) Staff on long term sick leave
	Staff members whose absence spans from one year to another are counted again in the second year.

Suicide Prevention Strategy

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Suicide Prevention Strategy.

Jacqui Smith: Implementation of the national suicide prevention strategy for England is being taken forward by the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMHE) as one of its core programmes of work. NIMHE is in the process of developing partnerships across Government and its agencies, and with other organisations to ensure a co-ordinated approach at a national level. A number of NIMHE's development centres have appointed mental health promotion and suicide prevention leads to ensure successful implementation and ownership at a local level.
	Much of the initial work following the launch of the strategy has been in terms of building capacity at both a national and local level for implementation. Early discussions have taken place with a range of organisations and individuals that had expressed an interest in helping implementation. A number of early deliverables where we could make good progress in the first year have also been identified, including:
	The development of a toolkit to support implementation of Standard 7 of the national service framework for mental health (prevention of suicide);
	The establishment of mental health promotion pilots aimed at young men;
	A link from the NIMHE website to Farming Link which provides confidential help for all in the farming and rural communities;
	The establishment of mental health promotion pilots aimed at young men;
	A link from the NIMHE website to Farming Link which provides confidential help for all in the farming and rural communities;
	Response to the Review of Coroners Services highlighting the need to ensure that the Coroners Service addresses the specific needs of people bereaved by suicide;
	The development of a support pack for people in contact with families bereaved by suicide;
	Through the 'mind out for mental health campaign', a media guide has been produced which highlights ways of ensuring the media report about mental health and suicides in a more responsible way;
	Workshops for students at journalist colleges now contain a session on the reporting of suicides.

Sustainable Development

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the remit relating to sustainable development (a) required and (b) undertaken by his Department's (i) executive agencies, (ii) advisory non-departmental bodies, (iii) executive non-departmental bodies; (iv) tribunals, (v) public corporations and (vi) other bodies.

Hazel Blears: The Department's strategy on sustainable development reflects the Government's overall sustainable development strategy. The Department's strategy seeks to promote and encourage sustainable development principles throughout the Department and the national health service, including those agencies and other bodies for which the Department has responsibility.
	Departmental agencies and other bodies may draw up their own sustainable development strategies. For example, the Department's NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency has recently published its new sustainable development policy. This can be found on its website at http://www.pasa.nhs.uk/environment
	Progress on Department of Health sustainable development activity can be tracked on the Department's web page at http://www.doh.gov.uk/sustainabledevelopment.

Telecommunications Masts

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has assessed of cancer rates among people who live or work within a (a) five-mile radius and (b) 10-mile radius of telecommunications masts in the UK.

Hazel Blears: A study of radio and television transmission masts published in 1996 by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit concluded that people living close to such masts are not at increased risk of developing leukaemia.
	Radiofrequency (RF) emissions from mobile phone base stations are currently being considered under the LINK mobile telecommunications and health research programme (MTHR). Concerns about possible health risks from exposure to emissions from mobile phone transmitters are being addressed by MTHR in a recently commissioned epidemiological study. Further information can be found on the web site at www.mthr.org.uk.
	Over the last few years a number of groups have assessed the possible health effects of exposure to RF radiation. These include reports from a Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel (1999), The Health Council of the Netherlands (2000), an Expert Group set up by the French Government (2001) and the British Medical Association (2001) as well as the Stewart Report (2000). In all cases the conclusion has been that the epidemiological evidence currently available does not suggest that RF exposure causes cancer. The public health implications of mobile phone base stations were comprehensively assessed by the Stewart independent expert group on mobile phones (www.iegmp.org.uk) in May 2000 and concluded that:
	The balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines.
	Measurements undertaken by the National Radiological Protection Board and the Radiocommunications Agency have confirmed that public exposures are very much lower than the international guidelines and are published on the websites at www.nrpb.org and www.radio.gov.uk respectively.

Waiting Times

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accident and emergency departments performed better than average for waiting times during the monitoring week at the end of March 2003 compared to the previous 51 weeks; and which they were.

David Lammy: The NHS Plan set the target to reduce by the end of 2004, the maximum time any patient spends in accident and emergency (AE) from arrival to transfer, discharge or admission to four hours. A national interim milestone was set for 90 per cent. of patients to spend less than four hours in AE by week ending 30 March 2003.
	Provisional management information suggests that over two thirds of trusts were performing better by week ending 30 March than their average for the whole year. This would be expected due to the gradual improvement needed nationally to achieve the 90 per cent, milestone from the figure of 77 per cent., achieved in March 2002.
	Final information detailing performance of individual trusts at the end of March will be made available as part of the performance ratings later in the summer.

Waiting Times

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people waited over 12 months for an operation in Hull and the East Riding in the last quarter for which figures are available; and what the figures were for the preceding four quarters.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Patients waiting over 12 months for elective inpatient admission: Position at the end of the quarter
		
			 Quarter ending Organisation Over 12 month waiters 
		
		
			 31 March 2002 Hull and East Riding HA 303 
			 30 June 2002 East Yorkshire PCT 24 
			 30 June 2002 Yorkshire Wolds and Coast PCT 27 
			 30 June 2002 Eastern Hull PCT 38 
			 30 June 2002 West Hull PCT 48 
			 30 September 2002 East Yorkshire PCT 0 
			 30 September 2002 Yorkshire Wolds and Coast PCT 2 
			 30 September 2002 Eastern Hull PCT 7 
			 30 September 2002 West Hull PCT 7 
			 31 December 2002 East Yorkshire PCT 6 
			 31 December 2002 Yorkshire Wolds and Coast PCT 18 
			 31 December 2002 Eastern Hull PCT 9 
			 31 December 2002 West Hull PCT 16 
			 31 March 2003 East Yorkshire PCT 0 
			 31 March 2003 Yorkshire Wolds  Coast PCT 0 
			 31 March 2003 Eastern Hull PCT 0 
			 31 March 2003 West Hull PCT 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form QF01

Waiting Times

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients admitted to accident and emergency departments in Hull and East Yorkshire waited longer than 12 hours prior to admission, transfer or discharge, in the last quarter for which figures are available; and how many there were in the preceding four quarters.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 25 March 2003, Official Report, column 187W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Biocides Directive

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Biocides Directive.

Nick Brown: The Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EC was implemented in Great Britain by the Biocidal Products Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/880) (as amended), which came into force on 6 April 2001, and in Northern Ireland by the Biocidal Products Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 (SR2001/422) (as amended), which came into operation on 16 January 2002. Copies of the Regulations are available in the Library.

Antisocial Behaviour

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the basis was for his statement on page 1 of Annex B of his Consultation Paper on Housing Benefit Sanctions and Anti-Social Behaviour regarding the relative effects of anti-social behaviour on (a) tenants in social housing and (b) people in deprived areas.

Malcolm Wicks: There have been a number of recent analyses of anti-social behaviour. For example:
	The Report of Policy Action Team 8: Anti-social behaviour, published in March 2000; and
	Anti-social Behaviour and Disorder: Findings from the 2000 British Crime Survey. Findings 145 (Budd T and Sims L; Home Office 2001), quoted in Tackling Anti-social Behaviour in Mixed Tenure Areas (research report; ODPM 2003).
	Both reports covered the areas referred to in the consultation paper.

Benefits

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the numbers of claimants who experienced a delay in claiming benefits in the last 12 months because the nature of their incapacity prevented them from claiming; and how long the average delay was.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available.
	A person has. up to three months following the date they become eligible for incapacity benefit in which to make a claim. In addition, claims for Income Support can be backdated for up to three months if the person making the claim is ill or disabled and it has not been reasonably practicable to obtain help in making the claim earlier.

Benefits

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many JSA claimants were subject to a benefit sanction for breach of the labour market condition or New Deal rule in each quarter since the start of 1997, broken down by the categories by which they are recorded.

Nick Brown: holding answer 19 May 2003
	Information is only recorded on the number of sanctions imposed. It is not possible to say how many individuals have been sanctioned as an individual could be subject to more than one sanction. Information on the number of sanctions imposed for the periods requested is published in the quarterly publications Labour Market Statistics Analysis of Adjudication Officers Decisions and, from the quarter ending 30 June 2002, the Labour Market Statistics Analysis of Sector Decision Making. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

Carers Premium

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2003, Official Report, columns 63637W, ref 112670, what the (a) cost is and (b) how many beneficiaries there are of extending the carers premium to those with an established entitlement to carers allowance who are in receipt of a basic state pension but no other benefit that would disqualify the beneficiary by virtue of the overlapping benefit rules.

Maria Eagle: People in receipt of basic state pension who are entitled to, but not receiving the carer's allowance because of the overlapping benefit rules are able to receive a carer premium in the minimum income guarantee.

Child Support Agency

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how long it will take to process new applications to the Child Support Agency under the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2002.

Malcolm Wicks: We have set a target to be achieved by the end of 200304 for the Agency to establish maintenance payment arrangements on average within six weeks of first receiving an application that will be calculated under the new scheme.

Compensation

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the time threshold is for the payment of compensation in recognition of undue delay in processing (a) attendance allowance, (b) attendance allowance (special rules), (c) attendance allowance (renewals), (d) bereavement benefit, (e) child benefit, (f) disability living allowance, (g) disability living allowance (special rules), (h) incapacity benefit, (i) income support, (j) invalidity benefit, (k) jobseeker's allowance (contributory), (l) jobseeker's allowance (income based), (m) maternity allowance, (n) sickness benefit, (o) social fund community care grants and budgeting loans, (p) social fund (funeral) payments, (q) social fund (maternity) payments, (r) unemployment benefit, (s) widows benefit and (t) widows payment;
	(2)  in how many cases where there has been a delay in processing benefits that does not breach the indicator of delay compensation has compensation been paid in each year since 1997, broken down by benefit category.

Malcolm Wicks: Financial redress for maladministration can be considered when the payment of benefit is unreasonably and exceptionally delayed due to official error and the indicator of delay has been breached for that benefit. The information requested on indicators of delay is in the table.
	Financial redress for delays in the payment of benefit cannot be considered unless the relevant indicator is breached. Information is not, therefore, available in cases where the relevant indicator has not been breached.
	
		Financial redress for maladministrationindicators of delay in the payment of benefit
		
			 Benefit Length of delay (Months) 
		
		
			 Attendance Allowance (including renewals) 7 
			 Attendance Allowance (Special Rules) 2 
			 Bereavement Allowance 4 
			 Bereavement Payment 2 
			 Child Benefit 4 
			 Disability Living Allowance 7 
			 Disability Living Allowance (Special Rules) 2 
			 Incapacity Benefit 4 
			 Income Support 2 
			 Invalidity Benefit 4 
			 Jobseeker's Allowance (Income-based and contributory) 3 
			 Maternity Allowance 5 
			 Sickness Benefit 4 
			 Social Fund Community Care Grants and Budgeting Loans 3 
			 Social Fund Funeral Payments 5 
			 Social Fund Sure Start Maternity Grants 3 
			 Unemployment Benefit 2 
			 Widowed Parents Allowance 4 
			 Widows Benefit 4 
			 Widows Payment 2 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Incapacity benefit replaced invalidity benefit and sickness benefit from April 1995.
	2. Jobseeker's allowance replaced unemployment benefit from October 1996.
	3. Bereavement benefits replaced widows payments and widows benefit (for new claims) from April 2001.
	4. The Inland Revenue took over the administration of child benefit from April 2003.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy that compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is not treated as capital for the purposes of assessing the victim's entitlement to income-related benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Lump sum payments from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Agency made directly to the injured person or someone acting on their behalf, or to a contingency fund as part of a structured settlement are subject to the normal capital rules when assessing entitlement to income-related benefits. However, payments placed in a trust fund for the injured person are disregarded in full. We have no plans to change this policy.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions published its first Departmental Report in May 2002. The cost of production incurred by the Department for the 2002 Report was 94,940.The costs of printing and publishing are met by the publisher, The Stationery Office Ltd., and do not fall to Government.

Disability Living Allowance

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will exempt people with severe mental illness who receive disability living allowance from having to periodically reapply for benefit.

Maria Eagle: Disability Living Allowance may be awarded for an indefinite period or for a fixed period. The length of the award in individual cases depends on for how long the decision-maker considers that the severely disabled person will, or is likely to, continue to satisfy the entitlement conditions for the benefit in the light of the available evidence about their personal care needs and mobility needs. Decision makers are trained to make awards for the period that is supported by the evidence, and people who receive a fixed period award are invited to make a further claim some 6 months before the award expires.
	We have no plans to change these arrangements. People who are dissatisfied with the length of their DLA award can ask for the decision to be reconsidered and have the right to appeal to an independent tribunal.

Disabled People (Employment)

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking (a) to reduce the unemployment rate for disabled people and (b) to promote equal rates of pay for disabled workers.

Maria Eagle: We have introduced a range of measures to help people with disabilities secure work, where they are ready and able to do so. We are making work pay for people with disabilities through the disabled person's tax credit/working tax credit and the national minimum wage, and Jobcentre Plus has a range of specialist programmes for people with disabilities, providing support in finding, keeping and training for work.
	Pathways to WorkHelping People into Employment, published in November 2002, is the next step forward in the Government's welfare to work strategy for people with health conditions or disabilities. It outlines plans to pilot a new approach in three areas from October 2003, with a further tranche beginning from April 2004, giving early and frequent support to those on incapacity benefit from skilled personal advisers, together with direct access to specialist programmes and clear financial incentives to work.
	The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) prevents an employer from discriminating against a disabled person in the terms and conditions under which employment is offered. We recognise that it is important for employers to be aware of their duties under this Act, and there has been a concerted effort since 1999 to raise awareness and understanding of disability and the DDA. In addition, we are continuing to work with the Disability Rights Commission and other key stakeholders to promote a greater awareness and understanding of the rights of disabled people.

Employment Zones

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many entrants to employment zones have re-entered for (a) a second time, (b) a third time and (c) more than three times since the scheme began (i) in total and (ii) broken down by zone; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people have entered employment zones since the programme began (i) in total and (ii) broken down by zone; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many (a) disabled people and (b) women have re-entered employment zones for (i) a second time, (ii) a third time and (iii) more than three times in each year since the scheme began (A) in total and (B) broken down by zone; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many entrants classified as (a) white and (b) black have re-entered employment zones for (i) a second time, (ii) a third time and (iii) more than three times in each year since the scheme began (A) in total and (B) broken down by zone; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  how many entrants classified by racial origin as Indian sub-Continent have re-entered employment zones for (a) a second time, (b) a third time and (c) more than three times in each year since the scheme began (i) in total and (ii) broken down by zone; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  how many entrants classified by racial origin as other have re-entered employment zones for (a) a second time, (b) a third time and (c) more than three times in each year since the scheme began (i) in total and (ii) broken down by zone; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Figures for individual return spells on Employment Zones are not available. Figures for returners as a whole have been placed in the Library.

Job Centres

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total budget was of Bradford Job Centre; what the total number of staff was; and what the budget allocation for each employment programme was in each year since 1 April 1995.

Nick Brown: holding answer 12 May 2003
	All staffing, running costs and programme budgets are allocated at District level and are not available for individual offices. However, we have been able to extract the running costs for staffing and goods and services for the Bradford Jobcentres.
	There are two Jobcentres within Bradford: Eastbrook Court and Vicar Lane. The following tables show (i) the running costs for staffing and goods and services as a whole for the two Jobcentres in Bradford from 1999 and (ii) the programme budget allocation for Bradford District as a whole from 1999.
	
		Bradford Jobcentres (Eastbrook Court/Vicar Lane)salary/goods and services budgets and staffing data
		
			  19992000 200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 Salaries budget 3,112,655 3,045,618 3,371,468 4,649,445 
			 Goods and services budget 184,595 169,489 182,226 229,170 
			 Total 3,297,250 3,215,107 3,553,694 4,878,615 
			 Staff in post 
			 Whole time equivalents 183 174 183 223 
			 Staff in post 192 184 194 236 
		
	
	Notes:1. Figures for the new Jobcentre Plus organisation including benefit processing staff in the Vicar Lane site. Previous year's figures are the Employment Service only.Source:
	Bradford DistrictGeneral Ledger
	
		Bradford districtemployment programmes -- Full year allocation
		
			 Budget allocation for the Bradford District(this includes the budget for Bradford Jobcentre) 19992000 200001 200102 200203  
		
		
			 Full year provisional allocation 
			 Mainstream programme costs 
			 Work based learning for adults   992,445 1,246,552 
			 Jobfinders grant  20,308 5,200  
			 TIS interview fares 7,161 12,506 20,065 26,166 
			 National development  9,973  26,000 
			 Work trials 1,326 1;082 1,378 2,115 
			 Jobplan jobsearch support   310,226 303,171 
			 PWD jobseeker fares550 
			 Employment rehabilitation55,000 
			 Restart interview fares 1,545 1,372 749 576 
			 Job introduction scheme28,549 
			 Resource centres 318,469 330,834   
			 Total 328,501 376,075 1,330,063 1,688,679 
			 ND 1825+ programmes 
			 Employment subsidy 421,110 327,246 279,961 249,464 
			 Gateway 386,207 849,520 2,544,853 1,308,754 
			 Follow through 88,851 8,207 5,316 7,200 
			 Vol 643,210 439,967 573,652 709,531 
			 ETF 412,550 302,639 425,767 416,322 
			 FTET 1,005,327 549,383 390,712 686,673 
			 ND1 825+ work placement routway   711,199 1,487,660 
			 ND1 825+ ETO achieve training 54,076 36,502 12,933  
			 ND General 1,613,311  142,534 461,032 
			 Total 4,624,642 2,513,464 5,086,927 5,326,636 
			 Lone parent programmes 
			 LP child care payments 1,904 6,995 11,133 529,378 
			 LP refund of fares 255 839 4,470 3,572 
			 LP Refund Training Course Fees 4,361 11,702 26,599 28,625 
			 LP Programme Centre 18,480 86,048 111,795 5,999 
			 Total 25,000 105,584 153,997 567,574 
			 ND Partners Programmes 
			 ND Partners  36,450  207,362 
			 ND Partners Fares  Fees  36,450 300  
			 ND Partners Client Expenses  8,105 86,215  
			 Training Allowance Payments   90  
			 Total  81,005 86,605 207,362 
			 ND 50+ programmes 
			 ND50+ programmes  13,500 6,165 9,061 
			 Total ND50+ programmes  13,500 6,165 9,061 
		
	
	Source:Year End Financial Management ReportsThis information could be provided only for periods prior to 19992000 at disproportionate cost.

Job Centres

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many full-time equivalent (a) permanent and (b) fixed term staff worked at the Job Centre in Sutton in each of the last three years.

Nick Brown: The average staffing levels at Sutton Jobcentre for the last three years are in the table.
	
		
			 Year Average full time equivalent staffing levels 
		
		
			 200203 32.5  
			 200102 32.9  
			 200003 33.4  
		
	
	Source:
	Business Manager, Sutton Jobcentre.
	Due to permanent staff turnover during these periods, Jobcentre Plus estimate that around 10 per cent. of these were staff on short-term temporary contracts.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the rates of Unemployment Benefit/Jobseekers Allowance (Contributions) were for a single claimant over the age of 25 in each year since 1979; and what those rates would have been had the benefit been uprated annually in line with the percentage increases in average earnings.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 19 May 2003
	The levels of social security benefits are reviewed each year and approved by Parliament. A range of factors is considered when reviewing benefit levels. As a contributory benefit Unemployment Benefit was uprated using the Retail Price Index. When Jobseeker's Allowance was introduced in 1996 it was decided that both income-based and contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance would be uprated using the Rossi index.
	The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		Unemployment benefit/Jobseeker's Allowance (contributory) for a single claimant over 25 --  per week
		
			 Date of uprating Rate of Unemployment Benefit/Jobseeker's Allowance(58) Value if 1978 amount had been uprated in line with average earnings(59) 
		
		
			 November 1978 15.75 15.75 
			 November 1979 18.50 18.75 
			 November 1980 20.65 22.20 
			 November 1981 22.50 24.80 
			 November 1982 25.00 26.90 
			 November 1983 27.05 29.20 
			 November 1984 28.45 30.70 
			 November 1985 30.45 33.35 
			 July 1986 30.80 34.90 
			 April 1987 31.45 36.80 
			 April 1988 32.75 39.65 
			 April 1989 34.70 43.20 
			 April 1990 37.35 47.40 
			 April 1991 41.40 51.85 
			 April 1992 43.10 55.80 
			 April 1993 44.65 58.40 
			 April 1994 45.45 59.90 
			 April 1995 46.45 61.90 
			 April 1996 48.25 63.70 
			 April 1997 49.15 66.30 
			 April 1998 50.35 69.10 
			 April 1999 51.40 72.40 
			 April 2000 52.20 75.60 
			 April 2001 53.05 78.60 
			 April 2002 53.95 82.00 
			 April 2003 54.65 84.95 
		
	
	Source:DWP Information Centre, Information and Analysis Directorate
	Notes:
	1. Jobseeker's Allowance replaced Unemployment Benefit on 7 October 1996.
	2. Figures have been calculated by uprating the November 1978 value in line with the average earnings index for each year and have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence at each uprating.

Local Authority Funding

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what specific or direct grants have been made by his Department to local authorities for 200304 (a) in England and (b) broken down by local authority, identifying whether the grant is (i) ring fenced, (ii) a specific formula grant, (iii) within aggregate external finance and (iv) outside aggregate external finance.

Malcolm Wicks: Details of the grants provided for 200304 by the Department for Work and Pensions, broken down by local authority, have been placed in the Library. The grants, which are based on a specific formula, provide subsidies relating to the costs of administering Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, the start-up and ongoing costs of Pension Credit, and the ongoing costs of New Tax Credits, each of which are listed separately. The grants are not ring-fenced and are included in aggregate external finance.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of entitled pensioners aged (a) 60 to 64, (b) 65 to 69, (c) 70 to 74, (d) 75 to 79 and (e) 80 years and older claimed the minimum income guarantee in the latest year for which figures are available; and what the (i) mean and (ii) median benefit not claimed were for each age group.

Maria Eagle: Reliable estimates of take-up and the amounts unclaimed of the Minimum Income Guarantee are not available by age.
	An examination of data underlying the latest MIG take-up statistics, which relate to 200001, indicates that there was no evidence of a clear difference in take-up between younger and older pensioners.

Ministerial Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department was in 2002.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Douglas Alexander) on 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 663W.
	The cost of taxi fares incurred by the Department for Work and Pensions is not recorded centrally and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

New Deal for Young People

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people have gained a first Level 2 qualification under the New Deal for Young People in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people gained a first Level 2 qualification via the employer option under the New Deal for Young People in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many people have entered the full-time education and training option under the New Deal for Young People without a first Level 2 qualification in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Information on the achievement of qualifications by New Deal for Young People participants is not collected on a national basis. The success of the programme is measured through the number of young people starting and sustaining work.
	The achievement of qualifications is an important element in the development and employability of young people and training within the New Deal for Young People is aimed at equipping young people with the skills and knowledge to enter sustained employment.
	Information on qualifications held and subsequently achieved through New Deal is recorded and monitored by New Deal Personal Advisers on an individual basis at local level. However, information at national level could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of the pension credit in (a) 2004, (b) 2010, (c) 2020, (d) 2030, (e) 2040 and (f) 2050 under the three alternative scenarios in the document entitled The Pension Credit: Long-term projections if the incomes that pensioners bring to account in income-assessed benefits rise in line with prices, rather than average earnings whilst all other assumptions used in the scenario are unchanged.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assumptions have been made concerning the growth in pensioners' incomes from non-state sources in the estimates of future expenditure on pension credit shown in figure A3.1 of the Pensions Green Paper; what the estimated expenditure would be if this growth were (a) half the level assumed; and (b) three-quarters the level assumed.

Maria Eagle: The latest projections of the full cost of Pension Credit (guarantee credit and savings credit) to 2050 are published on page 148, Annex 3 of the Pensions Green Paper 'Simplicity, security and choice: working and saving for retirement' (cm 5677). Based on a number of assumptions about the future, as set out in Annex 3, this shows that Pension Credit expenditure could rise to around 1.45 per cent of GDP by 2050.
	One of the assumptions used was that on average, income brought to account in the Pension Credit would increase in line with average earnings.
	The Pensioners' Incomes Series 2000/1, based on Family Resources Survey and Family Expenditure Survey data, shows that average pensioner incomes between 1979 and 199697 rose by 64 per cent. in real terms, compared to average earnings growth in the whole economy of 36 per cent. in real terms. More recent growth estimates are subject to uncertainty, but the growth in average pensioner incomes between 199495 and 200001 was around 17 per cent. in real terms, higher than average earnings (up 9 per cent. over the same period).
	Projections of future Pension Credit spending based on a number of alternative assumptions, and in different years, are not available centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However as an indication, under an assumption that pensioner incomes increased by prices to 2050, the cost of Pension Credit could be around 2 percentage points of GDP higher than the published costs. As explained, given the evidence of past pensioner income growth, the likelihood that those eligible for Pension Credit in the future will have higher state retirement pension income than previous cohorts, and the growth of non-pension income, such as income from housing or earnings, this assumption is likely to be unrealistic.
	The long-term cost of Pension Credit will also depend greatly on the decisions made by future governments in annual uprating statements. This Government is committed to increase the guarantee in line with average earnings for the remainder of this Parliament; ensuring that all pensioners share in rising national prosperity. Following the introduction of the Pension Credit, the Government will be spending an additional 9.2 billion on pensioners in 200405 as a result of measures introduced since 1997.

Pension Credit

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to minimise delays in the payment of pension credit to pensioners when it is introduced; and what steps he will take to promote the availability of emergency pension credit payments for pensioners whose payments are delayed.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 22 May 2003
	We have adopted a take on approach for Pension Credit which allows a controlled and measured build up of applications enabling us to ensure that we have appropriate levels of staff to deal with them and avoid unnecessary delays in issuing payment. Around 1.8 million people who currently receive the Minimum Income Guarantee will be transferred automatically to Pension Credit ready for payments to be made from October 2003. We will also ensure that all pensioner households have the information they need to decide whether to apply and all who apply before October 2004, if entitled, will receive payment as though they had claimed at the very start, or to the first day they could have qualified if this is later.

Pension Credit

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to ensure that letters to potential claimants for the pension credit are free of ambiguity.

Maria Eagle: The direct mail packs to pensioner households about Pension Credit have been subject to a rigorous process of quality assurance, including consultation with external organisations, customer research and testing. The clarity of the mail packs was approved with the Plain English Campaign Crystal Mark. Findings during the current period of advance applications will be taken into account before the main Pension Credit take-on begins in October.

Pension Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to write to pensioners not receiving the minimum income guarantee with information on the pension credit, in priority order of those most likely to make a valid claim.

Maria Eagle: The Pension Service has begun to write to pensioner households to explain pension credit and to invite applications. The order in which households are contacted has been designed to produce a controlled and measured build up of applications, evenly distributed throughout the UK. By June 2004, all pensioner households will have been contacted. The Department will, during the period when advance applications for pension credit can be made, continue to evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing campaign and make any refinements needed to ensure that pensioners take up their entitlement. All those who apply before October 2004, if they are entitled, will receive payment as though they had claimed at the very start, or to the first day they could have qualified if this is later.

Pension Credit

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions he has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when he expects to complete his analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) he and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests.

Malcolm Wicks: The Treasury's 18 supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are holding meetings with Cabinet Ministers. There was an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May. There will be a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June. My right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June.

Post Office Card Accounts

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Post Office card accounts have been opened; and what targets have been set for (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.

Malcolm Wicks: As at 23 May 2003,.321,000 customers have said they want to open a Post Office card account
	We have no targets for the number of people opening a Post Office card account. But we do have a published target in our public service agreement to pay 85 per cent. of customers by Direct Payment by 2005.

Post Office Card Accounts

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether people reaching pensionable age or becoming eligible for another benefit on or after April 2005 will be offered the option of a Post Office card account; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Payment directly into an account became the normal method of payment for pensions and benefit from April 2003. All customers, including pensioners, will continue to be provided with the information they need on all of their banking options, including the Post Office card account.

Private Occupational Pension Schemes

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of working people in the United Kingdom who are members of private occupational pension schemes.

Maria Eagle: In 2000, there were 5.7 million active members of private sector occupational pension schemes in the UK.
	Notes:
	1. This estimate is taken from the Occupational Pension Scheme Survey 2000 conducted by the Government Actuary's Department (GAD). Full results from the survey were released by GAD in April this year. 2000 is the latest year for which data is available.
	2. An 'active' member is a member of an occupational pension scheme who is at present accruing benefits under that scheme in respect of current service.
	3. It is possible for an individual to be an active member of more than one occupational pension scheme.

Refinery Explosion (Killingholme)

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the Health and Safety Executive to report on its investigation into the explosion at the Conoco refinery in Killingholme on 16 April 2001.

Nick Brown: The detailed and complex investigation into the explosion at the Conoco refinery at Killingholme, Humberside on 16 April 2001 is complete and the HSE are considering what, if any, action to take. The Health and Safety Executive will report on the investigation as soon as possible after these considerations and any subsequent steps have been concluded. Shortly after the incident a safety alert was issued to ensure that immediate lessons learnt as a result of initial investigations were passed on to the petroleum refining industry.

Retirement Age

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to abolish mandatory retirement ages.

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to raise the retirement age to 70.

Nick Brown: There is no state retirement age, only a state pension age. This is the date from which a person can receive state pension, regardless of whether they have retired or remain in work. We have no plans to change that.
	The Government are working on implementing the European Employment Directive (2000/78), under which compulsory retirement ages are likely to be unlawful unless employers can show they are 'objectively justified'. By summer 2003, the Government will consult widely, including with business, on proposals around this and other aspects of implementing age discrimination legislation.

Secondments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals have been seconded to his Department from (a) the private sector, (b) NGOs and (c) other, in each case listing (i) from which organisation and (ii) dates of secondments, in each year since 199798.

Maria Eagle: Interchange and secondments, which are key components of the Civil Service Reform and Modernising Government agendas, promote the exchange of ideas and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy (private, public and voluntary) are involved.
	Details of inward secondments to the Department for Work and Pensions, starting in each year from April 1997 to March 2002, are given in the table. Details for secondments starting since March 2002 are not yet available. For secondments from private sector organisations, the names of the individual organisations are shown. However, the names of seconding organisations in the public and voluntary sectors are not available.
	Secondments into the Department starting between April 1997 and March 1998:
	(a) Private sector11 (see table)
	
		
			 Name of private sector organisation Dates 
		
		
			 Sacker and Partners October 1997 to February 1998 
			 Guardian Media Group plc September 1997 to November 1997 
			 Oracle March 1998 to September 1998 
			 Hospitality Foundation January 1998 to December 1999 
			 British Aerospace December 1997 to November 1999 
			 Abbey National January 1998 to January 1999 
			 GKN January 1998 to January 1999 
			 Tesco December 1997 to December 1998 
			 Manpower October 1997 to September 1998 
			 Standard Life January 1998 to April 1998 
			 Scottish Power February 1998 to June 1998 
		
	
	(b) NGOs3
	(c) Other4.
	Secondments into the Department starting between April 1998 and March 1999:
	(a) Private Sector11 (see table)
	
		
			 Name of private sector organisation Dates 
		
		
			 British Airways April 1998 to February 2001 
			 Securicor February 1999 to June 2000 
			 HSBC February 1999 to September 2000 
			 BT April 1998 to September 2000 
			 Legal and General February 1999 to February 2000 
			 Abbey National January 1999 to January 2000 
			 EDS July 1998 to July 1999 
			 Lloyds TSB May 1998 to April 1999 
			 Anglian Water April 1998 to April 1999 
			 Rolls-Royce Military Aero Engines Ltd. June 1998 to December 1999 
			 Barclays Bank May 1998 to May 1999 
		
	
	(b) NGOs10
	(c) Other5.
	Secondments into the Department starting between April 1999 and March 2000:
	(a) Private Sector3 (see table)
	
		
			 Name of private sector organisation Dates 
		
		
			 CSL Managed Services August 1999 to March 2001 
			 Carillion February 2000 to January 2001 
			 Nexus November 1999 to March 2001 
		
	
	(b) NGOs6
	(c) Other28.
	Secondments into the Department starting between April 2000 and March 2001:
	(a) Private Sector4 (see table)
	
		
			 Name of private sector organisation Dates 
		
		
			 Sema UK Ltd. (to DSS) February 2001 to June 2001 
			 Lloyds TSB (to DSS) December 2000 to December 2001 
			 Britannia Building Society May 2000 to June 2001 
			 Mouzer Associates February 2001 to April 2001 
		
	
	(b) NGOs0
	(c) Other86.
	Secondments into the Department starting between April 2001 and March 2002:
	(a) Private Sector21 (see table)
	
		
			 Name of private sector organisation Dates 
		
		
			 British Gas October 2001 to July 2002 
			 Hays Personnel Services November 2001 to 31 May 2002 
			 Bovis Lend Lease January 2002 to date 
			 ERP January 2002 to 31 December 2002 
			 Action 4 Employment October 2001 to 31 December 2002 
			 MSHED December 2001 to December 2002 
			 MSHED December 2001 to December 2002 
			 CIS December 2001 to 31 March 2002 
			 Archon 2000 April 2001 to January 2002 
			 The Albert Centre October 2001 to 10 December 2002 (extended to 16 October 2003) 
			 International Family Centre December 2001 to 20 September 2002 
			 East Durham Development Agency August 2001 to 31 May 2002 
			 East Durham Development Agency August 2001 to date 
			 East Durham Development Agency August 2001 to January 2002 
			 East Durham Partnership July 2001 to date 
			 Learning and Skills CouncilDurham July 2001 to date 
			 Sunderland Housing Group April 2001 to 31 May 2002 
			 East Durham Substance Misuse Initiative January 2002 to 31 January 2003 
			 St. John Trust September 2001 to 31 August 2002 
			 London Advice Services September 2001 to 31 August 2002 
			 BY Syntegra January 2002 to January 2003 
		
	
	(b) NGOs8
	(c) Other20.

Tax Credits

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the workload on local authorities of reconfiguring (a) housing benefit, (b) council tax and (c) school meal application since the introduction of the new tax credit system.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has considered carefully the impact of new tax credits on housing benefit and/or council tax benefit (HB/CTB). There are likely to be significantly more HB/CTB customers qualifying for new tax credits, compared to those previously claiming working families tax credit and HB/CTB.
	6 million was distributed by the Department for initial fixed start up costs to local authorities in 200203. This was to cover the cost of IT, training and publicity arising as a result of the introduction of the new tax credits.
	In 200304, a total of 14 million was allocated to local authorities to cover transitional and ongoing costs of new tax credits administration. This money was distributed using a formula based on caseload size.
	School meals are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

Vaccine Damage Tribunals

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims have been made to vaccine damage tribunals in each year since 1990; and how many of those claims, in each year, have been successful (a) on first hearing and (b) on appeal.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table. Claims are initially made to the Vaccine Damage Payment (VDP) Unit. Decisions on claims are made on behalf of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the basis of a Medical Adviser's assessment of the percentage level of disablement and whether it is the result of vaccination. If a claim is disallowed the vaccinated person may appeal to an independent tribunal or ask for a decision to be reversed.
	
		
			 Year Claims received by VDP Unit Initial award Award following a section 3A reversal(59) Award following appeal 
		
		
			 1990 37 0 0 7 
			 1991 42 2 0 3 
			 1992 43 4 0 2 
			 1993 19 1 0 1 
			 1994 78 3 0 7 
			 1995 69 0 0 2 
			 1996 72 0 0 0 
			 1997 152 1 0 1 
			 1998 177 0 1 0 
			 1999 82 1 1 0 
			 2000 171 0 0 1 
			 2001 176 1 0 1 
			 2002 406 5 0 0 
			 2003 68 0 0 0 
			 Totals 1592 18 2 26 
		
	
	(58) Total awards made on claims received between 01/01/1990 and 20/05/2003 = 46. These figures do not take account of the actual date the payment was made, nor do they take account of any cases where an award has occurred following a Section 3A reversal or an appeal after 01/01/1990, where the claim under consideration was actually received prior to 01/01/1990 (i.e. a claim received by the VDPU in 1984 that went to Appeal in 2002, resulting in an award in 2003 would not be shown in the above figures as the claim was not received after 01/01/1990).
	(59) Section 3A of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act states that the Secretary of State may reverse his own decision or that of an appeal tribunal. Application for reversal must be made within a prescribed period.

Vulnerable Groups Regulations

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to improve the access of people to eligibility under the Vulnerable Groups Regulations to help those people with paying their water bills.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department issued a consultation paper, Reductions for Vulnerable Groups, on 25 February 2003. A copy is available in the House Library. The paper discussed a range of options for amending the regulations to deliver more assistance to vulnerable households. One of the areas reviewed in the paper was how to improve access and awareness of the scheme for those already eligible for assistance. We shall publish a response to consultation this summer.

Vulnerable Groups Regulations

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to re-examine his proposals for the Vulnerable Groups Regulations in respect of assisting people to pay their water bills.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department issued a consultation paper, Reductions for Vulnerable Groups, on 25 February 2003. A copy is available in the House Library. The paper discussed a range of options for amending the regulations to deliver more assistance to vulnerable households. We shall publish a response to the consultation this summer.

Winter Fuel Payments

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the total number of pensioners in (a) Leeds and (b) the Leeds, West constituency who receive winter fuel payments.

Maria Eagle: Winter Fuel Payments are made to most people aged 60 and over, regardless of whether they are receiving a State Pension. In winter 200102,133,000 people in Leeds local authority area and 14,800 in Leeds West constituency received a Winter Fuel Payment.
	Source:Matching Intelligence Data Analysis Service Winter Fuels Payment 200102 exercise.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Tax Credits

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have applied for the tax credits benefit in Northern Ireland; and what the average waiting time between application and receipt of benefit has been.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Cable) on 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 671W.